


Heart of Titanium

by omaomae



Series: Mending Hearts [4]
Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Dreams and Nightmares, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Only OCs die, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2019-05-14 12:11:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 77,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14769374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omaomae/pseuds/omaomae
Summary: Sequel toHeart of Steel.The ripples of consequences travel far. How does one deal with it? By disrupting the waves? Or riding along with it? Our little witches must choose how they wish to conquer the obstacles in front of them to reach the happiness they so desperately covet.Otherwise, all that awaits them is a fate drowning in pain and sorrow beneath a facade of peace.





	1. INTERMISSION. Rebirth of a Demon - Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a certain Demon Witch is not so dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am _so_ weak. I just can't stay away from Diana Cavendish. Sigh.
> 
> Have a short history lesson, courtesy of this Tomato who is just making stuff up XD

In a different time, magic was celebrated by all across the world. Both magic users and normal humans alike respected and understood the importance of magic. They integrated it with their daily lives, using it as if it was a normal occurrence. And if one couldn't use magic for themselves, it was not uncommon to ask a witch or any other spellcaster to accomplish something with magic. There were no shortage of magic users back then.

Over a thousand years ago, magic was abundant in the world. There was no limit with the Yggdrasil's healthy branches spread throughout the entire planet. This was the main contributing factor to the large number of magic users in the world. Since there was no shortage of magic energy, there was no need to compete for resources and therefore no constraints on the growing population of spellcasters.

However, there were spellcasters of that time who were above all else even amongst the many magic users in the world. These distinguished witches came to be known as the Nine Olde Witches. They were nine of the most powerful and capable witches of that time. Each had their own specializations, each with their own accomplishments and dreams.

Many have heard of Woodward the Pioneer. Arguably the leader of the Nine Old Witches, she was the original wielder of the only wand created from the Yggdrasil's branches: the Claiomh Solias. She never allowed traditions or a rigid mindset to restrain her magic. Rather, she advocated for flexibility so that magic could continue to advance and improve in new ways.

Then there is Beatrix the Affectionate. In an effort to create a community that would help others in need, she founded a family which specialized in healing magic to preserve and continue her research on medicine without bias. The House of Cavendish would persist across centuries to apply their healing under the house motto of affection.

There are of course the other seven of the Nine: Jennifer, Alaya, Medea, Undine, Shakti, Nuwa, and Orisha. Because of their many accomplishments, these nine witches would forever be remembered by history even after they reach the end of their lives. No one who values magic does not know of their names.

However, history only remembers these specific nine. It does not include a certain witch who was actually part of the original Nine Olde Witches. The witch who is now remembered only as the Demon Witch and the Witch of Corruption.

Much like the other Nine, Goetia was an outstanding witch who stood above all others. She rivaled Woodward in diversity, Beatrix in talent, and Alaya in creativity. Goetia's specialization laid in the study of souls and the magic corresponding to this field. It was an understudied category that no one knew about. She was arguably the first researcher to reveal the existence of the soul to begin with.

But unlike her colleagues, Goetia preferred to keep her knowledge a secret. She would never share the entirety of her work; only the bare minimum. She held distrust for the rest of humanity and didn't believe they could understand the complexities of her research and ambitions.

She never grew out of that habit. Not only did she desire more by setting higher and more ambitious goals, she also grew more distant from her colleagues and the rest of the human population. The higher she rose, the more disdain she felt towards the lesser, incapable members of her race. It was one thing for non-magic users to exist. But to Goetia, it was an even larger sin to exist as a witch who barely had the talent and potential to match herself. To Goetia, they were all worthless failures who shouldn't be associated with her.

Her greed and pride led her to seek more power and knowledge. That was the reason why she chose to break away from conformity and summon one of the most dangerous demons from purgatory while forming a contract with the demon to amplify her powers. With this demon, she was then able to take control of the Yggdrasil and use its infinite magic energy for herself. She was unmatched and near invincible.

But not entirely unbeatable. And that was enough for the Nine Olde Witches to defeat her after a long, arduous war. The Nine Olde Witches and the rest of the world did not agree with Goetia's vision to cleanse the world or unworthy witches and magic users. They advocated for giving everyone a chance because not everyone is equal. It would be unfair to deny them in case they could  _eventually_ accomplish great things.

Goetia thought that did not matter. In the end, they were all trash to her. If the Nine Olde Witches didn't agree, then that just meant they were also unworthy of their titles. And it was to her utter shame to lose to them in the end. They were able to overpower her together with the help of numerous philosopher's stones to supplement the lack of magic from the Yggdrasil.

Goetia had lost. The Nine Olde Witches locked her up behind a powerful seal and destroyed her body, forcing her to watch the world continue with magic users fumbling in their own way. She stayed in a state of contradiction; alive yet not.

However, her actions had their own consequences. Her contamination of the Yggdrasil nearly withered it to ashes. The Nine Olde Witches had no choice but to seal it as well so that it could rejuvenate with time. Magic began to decline after the Golden Age. Witches were becoming obsolete as well.

* * *

That was then; this is now.

Thousands of years later, the Yggdrasil is revived and restored thanks to the efforts of nine young witches. With its branches spread across the world once more, the current spellcasters do not have to worry about a restricted supply of magical energy to use. This means they can practice their magic more freely, thus captivating more and more people. Finally, magic is once more a viable solution that can work in conjunction with modern science and technology. This resurgence of magic ushers in a new era similar to the Golden Age many centuries ago.

However, it is no paradise devoid of problems. The largest consequence of an infinite supply of magic is awakening certain spirits and magical creatures who rely on large amounts of energy to sustain their form and existence. They are usually behind seals, but can break through their bindings with enough energy.

The magic community has done its best to accommodate for the new resurgence of magic. Every seal with the possibility of breaking has been accounted for, as well as doing their best to keep track on any creature susceptible to high magical energy. And those ambitious enough to take advantage of the surplus of magic energy have been subdued to prevent anarchy.

At least, they have done their  _best_.

Everyone makes mistakes. It is only better to minimize error and prevent mistakes from occurring for the most important things. But sometimes it is inevitable to overlook a significant detail.

Almost nine months ago, a certain witch attempted to break the seal binding Goetia to the Arcturus Forest. Thanks to the efforts of two magic users, the ritual was stopped and humanity was saved. In consequence, the ensuing explosion took the lives of both magic users, one of which only revived due to sheer coincidence and luck.

But that was not the only consequence.

Deep within the Arcturus Forest at the epicenter of the old ritual, a certain withered tree pulses with blood red energy. An invisible binding cracks. No human bears witness to this. Though the nearby magical creatures and spirits run far away from that place. Even if they cannot see anything, their instincts tell them to flee from this unknown danger.

An earthquake tears through the forbidden forest. It isn't enough to distort the plates of earth, but it is enough shake the ground and send every living thing within the vicinity into a frenzy.

If anyone was close enough, they would have been able to hear the distinct sound of a female voice, seething with anger and impatience. The disembodied voice crying for the ones who denied her freedom. Even if the Demon Witch does not know their names, her unintelligible fury is enough for the claws of fear to dig deep into anyone's heart.

But even if the seal on her soul is weakened, there is nothing she can do without a body. The most compatible choice is another human. However, there is nothing within the vicinity except for a few stray animals and magical creatures. They will not house her soul long enough for her to find a suitable replacement.

And so Goetia chooses to wait. She will wait until the right moment, for the right witch to come to her, ripe for the taking. But first she must make the proper preparations.

A small, purple bud breaks up into the surface from the center of the crack in the dirt. The large, withered tree nearby seems to arch over it, casting a shadow to provide it nourishment instead of sunlight. Despite being no larger than the size of a young girl's fist, no magical creature dares to upset the newly birthed flower.

Soon. She  _will_  exact her revenge. She will cleanse this world of the impurities. She will punish those who have done her wrong.

Starting with the two spellcasters who prevented her from returning to the world as she rightfully should have all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To everyone who has read the other stories in the "Mending Hearts" series, welcome back. To those who have just arrived, welcome! I suggest reading the other stories first before proceeding any further (especially _Heart of Iron_ and _Heart of Steel_ ). This story is a direct sequel to those two, so you'll need quite a bit of context to understand this one.
> 
> Speaking of the other stories, I updated their cover images on FFN so all three main stories of the "Mending Heart" series have cover images ( _smile for you_ doesn't count). Three guesses to what they each represent.
> 
> Warnings for this story will be updated accordingly. Notice that this has officially been upgraded to an M rating. There's going to be a lot of pain in this one.
> 
> Similar to _Heart of Steel_ , I WILL end this story on a happy note. I WILL end this with happy Diakko. I break, but I also put back together. The road to happiness is long and arduous, but they'll get there.
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> Goetia's name is inspired by the Beast class Servant of the same name from Fate/Grand Order.
> 
> However, the concept of the Witch of Corruption is actually inspired by Alejandrina114 on FFN, who is also the one to inspire much of this story. I wasn't going to write a sequel to _Heart of Steel_ initially. But she gave me a few ideas I found I could work with and incorporate into the "Mending Heart" series. So I rolled with it.


	2. Act V.i. A Believing Heart is Everyone’s Magic - Samhain_Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we kick off this story with a happy festival to celebrate!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a song! This time, I'm including only the English translation because I feel like the breaks are easier to distinguish. Plus this song is longer so it feels more cluttered with both. Anyway, the English translation is in italics.
> 
> If ya'll guessed Lotte is the singer, then you get no cookies because I'm predictable like that XD
> 
> The link to the song, I'll Find You Sooner Than the Stars, is [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC-60BeGrLM).

Every year, a certain festival is held at the end of the month to mark the end of the harvest season. It is a celebration held annually at Luna Nova Magical Academy. And this year is no different.

Wangari clears her throat as she brandishes her wand-turned microphone. "Saa, we've reached the last act of the Samhain Festival! As soon as the midnight bell tolls, this last performance shall mark the end!" Wangari drops down from her broom onto the stage. The stage lights focus on her as she stands. She throws her free hand up and continues, "Like the previous year, there won't be a sacrifice ritual since Princess Vajarois has moved on. Instead, enjoy this special performance by these nine witches!"

One of the ladies sitting at the table of judges exhales a puff of smoke from her cigarette. " _Finally_. I was running out of cigarettes to smoke."

A red bird the size of Amelia's head caws by her side in agreement.

"This is why a pipe is more practical, Amelia," the platinum blonde witch sitting at the other end of the table says.

The elder witch at the center of the two tries - and fails - to keep her eyebrow from twitching in annoyance. "It escapes me why it is even necessary for the both of you to smoke in the first place. It is uncouth and debilitating."

Amelia guffaws. "You still got that stick up your ass, eh Dorlin?"

The older witch glares at the head of the House of Lefevre. "And you are still a child, Amelia Lefevre."

"Oh, ease up. You're not still upset that I got the permission to keep my, oh what did you call it? My 'conglomeration of hazardous beasts' at my estate, are you?"

"I still can't believe that was one of your first acts as the new Minister of Magic." Rakshtha Chavla leans back in her seat and twirls her pipe. "Of all your priorities you chose to target the House of Lefevre's regulation of magical creatures. What did you do to this poor woman, Amelia?"

"How should I know? Maybe something happened with my sister."

"Enough," Dorlin snaps. "Honestly, the two of you have not changed at all. If I had known you were both going to be insufferable, I would have turned down Holbrooke's request."

Amelia rolls her eyes. "The only reason I'm here is because that damn Pavlova turned down the invitation as soon as she heard  _you_ were going to be present. I see that woman still hates the government with her guts. Not like the Ministry has done anything to relieve that tension these past few months. Not with all your pestering."

"Her brother was an accomplice to Aileen Bradley's plans in the Arcturus Forest earlier this year," Dorlin states. "It is expected that we will need to interrogate Sophia Pavlova for information. Especially because Egor Pavlova, the man himself, is dead."

Rakshtha sighs. "That is probably the only reason you all left my palace as soon as you did. At least Arshad is alive for you to pester." Rakshtha takes a puff from her pipe. "Well, I only came because I heard a certain Banana Princess and her disaster of a girlfriend are going to be leading this final act. That should be something."

In the distance, the clock at Luna Nova chimes midnight to signal the end of the night and the start of a new beginning. As the sound echoes throughout the region, the audience hushes and waits in silence. But unlike the other years, this silence is not in solemn mourning for a spirit in great pain. This is a silence of respectful anticipation for this last performance.

Amelia grins. "Even in this stuffy old school, let's see what those two have got to offer!"

Wangari exits the stage as the lights turn off. She gives a thumbs up to Constanze offstage. Constanze gives her a thumbs up back and begins. She snaps her goggles into place and ignites the giant cannon next to her with her wand. Her palms cover hear ears as the cannon shoots up with a loud  _boom_.

Everyone's eyes follow the shot up into the sky. With the black canvas of night as the background, the bomb explodes into a flurry of rainbow fireworks.

Wangari points to the sky. "Look! The Big Dipper sure looks beautiful tonight!"

Of all the stars in the sky, the seven stars that make up the Big Dipper seem to shine brighter than them all. One of the stars seems to break off from the rest of the constellation and soar down towards the earth. As it gets closer to the audience, they can start to make out the shape of a…

"Is that a flying elephant?!" Wangari shouts.

The animal of white light flies through the audience, using its abnormally large ears to propel it through the air. The audience's eyes follow the ethereal elephant and a short trail of white light from its tail.

Knowing her cue, Constanze takes out a remote and flips a few switches to turn on the lights of the stage. Unlike the standard yellow light used for the other performances, these lights are more of a mixture of green and yellow.

After doing a round around the stadium, the elephant stops at the center of the stage and slowly touches down. As its altitude lowers, its form begins to change to that of a white hat with a yellow cross encircled in a red diamond. A greater concentration of white light envelopes the creature in a sphere as it slowly changes form.

The light disperses in a small burst of magic, revealing a certain Atsuko Kagari as she flourishes her arms after a bow in greeting. Instead of her standard Luna Nova uniform, she sports an outfit similar to - if not exactly the same as - Shiny Chariot's old costume. Everything is the same, even down to the hat.

"It's Akko!" Wangari announces.

With a loud, confident voice, Akko shouts, "Let's get started!"

Akko brandishes her wand and points it toward the ground. " _ **Shyral Mryuerre**_!"

A torrent of water shoots out from her wand. Giant waves cascade out from Akko at the epicenter toward the crowd. But as everyone braces themselves for the impact, they realize that the water passes by without them feeling a thing. In fact, they can even breathe even though they are seemingly underwater.

"Eh? What kind of water is this? Ohhh, could this be the same spell Diana Cavendish used two years ago?!" Wangari says.

The waves calm, leaving only a layer of still water covering the ground. Its depths unknown; it appears deep enough that no one can see the ground, but also not enough for the water to be dark.

Akko turns her wand onto herself. " _ **Metamorphie Fociesse**_!"

Green energy envelopes Akko's form. She emerges as a round, humanoid fish.

"Yuhp!"

Akko dives into the water out of view, leaving the stage empty until the water stills again.

"Now where did Akko go?" Wangari wonders. "Wait, does anyone else hear that?"

A familiar voice speaks clearly for all to hear. Although no one can see her, the audience focuses on the surface of the water where the voice seems to be coming from.

" _Creature of the holy mane,_

_Absorb the light of the stars_

_And rise from this gushing spring._

_**Tiphillie Lirullianae**_!"

A creature of white shoots out from the water into the sky. Its green mane ripples through the wind as the moonlight reflects on the horn on its head. And on its back is none other than Diana Cavendish herself.

"It's Diana Cavendish! And on a unicorn no less!" Wangari shouts. "This is truly a sight to see!"

A chorus of ohhs resound across the audience. Amelia in particular cannot stop herself from grinning.

"Now  _that's_ a splendid unicorn! Those Cavendishes are sure lucky."

"The protector of the House of Cavendish. It still amazes me that the young heiress can summon a divine spirit at such a young age," Dorlin remarks in awe.

"Isn't this your second time seeing it?" Rakshtha asks.

"And it continues to surprise me."

As Diana and her familiar make a circle around the stadium in the air, another column of water shoots upward to the sky. Two witches on a broom ride on the water and rush out of the water to meet Diana in the air. One is Akko, back to her human form. The one flying the broom is the representative of the green team.

Amanda turns back and grins. "Akko!"

Akko nods. "Ready!"

Amanda goes high up into the air. Once she's high enough, she orients herself longways so the broom is not nose-up toward the sky. Once they're steady, Akko locks her ankles together and spins on the broom until her head points down to the ground.

Dorlin frowns. "Is that girl going to…?"

Akko releases her ankles and starts to plummet to the ground.

Wangari leans forward with her microphone to her face. "Akko is dropping to the ground?! Without a broom?!"

Rakshtha's pipe drops from her hand as Amelia's cigarette falls out of her mouth.

The crowd gasps. Akko doesn't seem to have any plans to stop gravity from pulling her closer to the ground. All she does is pull out her wand but doesn't cast any spells with it.

"Jasna!" Amanda yells from the air.

Back on the stage that is the only place not covered in water, Jasminka rolls out a giant cannon personally customized by Constanze. She readies the shot with her wand and positions it so that it will shoot where she wants to toward the sky.

"Bombs away!"

One, two, three, four, and so on. Continuous shots of random stuffed animals shoot out from the canon at a great velocity within Akko's falling trajectory.

Before she passes by them on her fall, Akko casts, " _ **Metamorphie Fociesse**_!"

Instead of just one, Akko moves her wand in an arc to encompass all of the stuffed animals in the spell. One by one the stuffed dolls transform into various animals and magical creatures of light. They fly through the sky like shooting stars, some flitting by the audience to give them a small nudge.

At the judge's table, an elephant and tortoise flit around the judges as if saying hello. At least, that is what the witches think until the two move toward Amelia and Rakshtha, pick up the dropped cigarette and pipe, and chuck it into the pool of water.

The animals of light are much more docile with the rest of the audience. In particular, a small mouse rubs itself against the cheek of a girl with long black hair. The young witch giggles and cuddles the small animal before it jumps away back into the sky.

Akko's grin drops into a nervous frown. "Uh, okay, falling still isn't funnnnnnnnnn!"

A white blur rushes toward her and picks her up. The next thing Akko knows, she is sitting on the back of the white unicorn from before with her arms wrapped around a certain British witch.

"Just as we rehearsed, is it not?" Diana looks back with a small smile.

Akko grins. "Yup!"

Behind the curtains on the stage, Hannah and Barbara nod to each other.

"And next up is us!" Hannah says.

"Yup!"

Constanze holds up a board that says, "Stop flirting and follow the cue."

Jasminka smiles. "Cute."

"Really?" Sucy doesn't seem to think so.

"We aren't flirting!" Hannah yells back.

Barbara gasps. "Ah! We gotta go!"

Hannah and Barbara mount their brooms and chant, " _ **Tia Freyre**_!"

The two fly out onto the stage while pulling Constanze, Sucy, and Jasminka through some rope, stabilizers, and a platform to hold the three witches and a machine that looks like a giant vacuum cleaner. Hannah and Barbara continue over the water and act as a boat pulling the ski that allows their passengers to ride over the water.

As Hannah and Barbara ride over the pool, Constanze activates the giant machine by her side while Jasminka holds the suction to direct it down to the ground. The giant vacuum with an enchanted storage allows her to suck up all the water in the stadium, even though it seems infinite. Once the majority of the water is gone, Hannah and Barbara make one more round so that Sucy can unload a potion throughout the grass.

Akko clenches her fist. "Nice! Now it's time for some shrooms!"

Amanda blanches as she flies by Diana and Akko. "Uh, please don't say that ever again."

"Huh? What'd I say?" Akko looks to Diana for help.

Diana shakes her head. "I have no idea either. Ah, Sucy has truly outdone herself."

"What-?"

"What now?! Wait, why does this seem familiar?!" Wangari shouts.

The ground quakes. Everyone's eyes turn to the ground as something seems to be pushing up and out. Mushrooms of various kinds and colors grow out from the ground and grow tall enough to reach the height of the highest seat in the stadium.

Wangari shakes her head out of her stupor and continues, "Mushrooms?! It's mushrooms again?!"

Sucy snickers and grabs her broom. "Can't get enough of these."

Hannah and Barbara grimace while Constanze rolls her eyes. But they each mount their own brooms and fly out from the stage without saying anything about Sucy's strange interests.

After the mushrooms finish growing, Diana directs their steed down onto the top of one of the mushroom caps. She and Akko dismount and flourish their wands.

Diana caresses the side of the unicorn's face. "Thank you, Alcaeus. You have done splendid."

The unicorn bows its head and steps back to allow Akko and Diana their space.

"The world can be a big, dark place," Akko says. "So light it up, Lotte!"

One of the mushrooms opens up. Lotte flies out from the opening on her broom with one hand keeping her steady while the other holds her wand up as a pseudo microphone.

Lotte takes a deep breath. And begins to sing.

_Hey, won't you come home soon?_

Small lights dance and burst around Lotte, following her voice to provide the background music necessary to supplement her song. The crowd falls silent as they wait for her to continue.

_On nights when my sighs sway the crescent moon,_

_I close my eyes and think of nothing but you._

_Feeling the need to see you, feeling like crying, feeling romantic_

_May these feelings reach you_

 

_After all, I always know,_

_The many ways… that you're trying so hard!_

 

_The one I love is so strong, they make me worry_

_Show your weak side only to me_

_I'll find you sooner than the stars_

_Won't you come home soon?_

By the judges, Amelia gasps as the red bird next to her suddenly caws and flies into the air without her say. Flames consume its entire body in an aura of blazing red. It comes to a stop by Lotte, flapping its wings in place just a far away enough that Lotte can feel the heat of the flames but not have them lick her.

(A… phoenix?!)

Lotte looks down to the mushroom cap where Akko is. Her teammate gives her a thumbs up and flourishes her wand with Diana by her side. Together, they send a shower of lights to prompt Lotte to continue.

Lotte replies with a confident nod.

_Even if we're far apart, our feelings nestle together_

_So I can tell that you might be lonely right now_

" _Call for me. I'll come flying!" Yes, that's what I want to say_

_But I don't want to be a bother to you_

 

_But, you see..._

_I really want to see you, I really want to cry_

_I know you're doing your best, I understand_

_See, you're this dear to me_

_So I'll wait for you, always, I'll be waiting_

"Lotte! You've got more visitors!" Sucy calls out.

From the horizon, numerous magical creatures and spirits arise to join the fun. Creatures of numerous shapes and sizes, varying colors and forms. Their presence adds color and liveliness to the heartfelt performance.

"Amelia, you look like you're in love," Rakshtha teases.

"You have  _no_ idea."

Amelia's phoenix flexes its wings, flaring its red flames to illuminate the performers. At the same time, the crowd urges Lotte to finish the song.

_The one I love is so strong, they make me worry_

_Show your weak side only to me_

_I'll find you sooner than the stars_

_Won't you come home soon?_

 

_The one I love - where have they gone?_

_Gazing at the night sky fills me with a romantic feeling_

_I'll find you before anyone else_

_Won't you come home soon?_

 

_Hey, won't you come home soon?_

Lotte lowers her wand, letting her voice taper off into silence. The phoenix besides her suddenly caws and nearly startles her off her broom. But that isn't what surprises her the most.

A deafening roar reverberates throughout the stadium. Students and professors alike clap and cheer as the song ends. The crowd cheers as lights and stars burst in the background. Even the professors, who normally look down upon this kind of flaunting of magic, cannot help but smile and clap. There are even not-so-faint cries of something like "Kyaaahhhh! Lotte has such a great voice!" and "Lotte is so cool!"

As the adrenaline dies down, Lotte becomes aware of all the attention focused on her. At this rate, her face is going to turn so red that it'll give Amelia's phoenix a run for her money.

The phoenix in question dips its head and reigns in its flames. To Lotte, it is as if the divine bird is bowing in respect to her performance.

With one last mighty caw, the phoenix soars into the sky and returns to its owner. Lotte takes that as her cue to descend back to the ground to join the others as they all gather together.

The first thing Akko does is throw her arms around Lotte in a big hug. "Lotte, that was amazing!"

Lotte giggles nervously. "I was worried about how well the song would turn out because it's longer than the one I sang the first time. I've never performed for such a big audience before…"

"And you did great! Sooooo great!" Akko insists.

"Hey, quit smothering her!" Barbara says. "Headmistress Holbrooke is about to close the festival!"

Now that the final act is over, Holbrooke, Wangari, and the other professors can make their way to the center stage to end the night.

Holbrooke clears her throat before speaking, "A wonderful performance from nine talented young witches."

Wangari steals the mic and shouts, "Give it up one more time for those guys! Akko, Diana, Constanze, Jasminka, Hannah - oh geez that's a lot of names - Barbara, Sucy, Amanda, and of course the great Lotte Yanson!"

The audience claps and cheers for the nine again just as Wangari prompts. Lotte's face flares up again from so much attention. Amanda even comes over to clap her on the back.

Holbrooke clears her throat and takes the microphone back. Her eyes soften as they linger on the nine happy witches. "Yes, that was truly a wonderful performance."

(They have truly come so far.)

"With this end, we mark the conclusion of this year's Samhain Festival at our Luna Nova Academy. As the votes are finalized, I would like to make one last announcement."

Finneran passes Holbrooke a folded sheet of paper. Holbrooke opens it and reads the name once to herself, her eyes lighting up at the name.

"It is my honor to announce this year's Moonlit Witch to be… Miss Lotte Yanson!"

The crowd roars one more time. They were all expecting this. Everyone saw this coming.

Everyone except for the winner, at least.

"Eh?  _Ehhhhh_?!" Lotte cries.

"Go Lotte go!" Akko shouts, pushing Lotte to the stage. "Come on! Don't keep everyone waiting!"

"B-But-!"

Sucy chuckles. "Hurry up and get that ugly hat and cloak already. How else are they going to close this show?"

It takes most of Akko's pushing to get Lotte onto the stage with the professors. Even then Lotte's feet are so frozen in place that she can only take small, demure steps with her head bowed and face scarlet red.

At least her dipped head allows Holbrooke to put the hat on her head with ease. She also clips the cloak around Lotte's shoulders to finish the crowning.

"Congratulations, Miss Yanson," Holbrooke says with a smile.

There isn't much Lotte can do with her head so addled except nod. Holbrooke has to place her hands on Lotte's shoulders herself and turn the poor girl toward the audience.

The cheers may have died down, but it doesn't look like the clapping is going to stop until Lotte says something herself.

"I-"

The audience quiets down, waiting for Lotte to continue.

"Th-Thank you so much!" Lotte says. She follows up with a bow so low that her hat falls off down the stage. It only causes Lotte's already red cheeks to burn even brighter.

The crowd, the professors, and the remaining eight witches can't help but laugh. At this point, Lotte isn't sure how her head hasn't exploded from the overload of emotions.

Holbrooke chuckles with a shake of her head. "That concludes this year's Samhain Festival! Thank you for coming!"

"Lotte!" Akko calls, waving for her friend to rejoin them.

"I have to admit, those girls truly outdid themselves," Finneran praises.

"It seems the choreography was planned mainly by that Atsuko Kagari and Professor Ursula," Badcock says.

Nelson nods proudly. "Did ya see their flying technique? I have to say, I'm feelin' pretty proud."

"It was expected for Diana to earn the title of Moonlit Witch her first year, but I never would have expected Atsuko Kagari to follow the immediate year after. And now Lotte Yanson." For the first time, Finneran smiles in regards to that mischievous group of little witches. "I can see this is a making of a rather talented group of witches."

"Yes, that performance was unbelievable," a voice that does not belong to one of the professors remarks. "Especially considering what they had gone through not even a year ago."

"Did you enjoy the show, Minister Dorlin?" Holbrooke asks.

"I have to admit, this year's performance was even more spectacular than the first year." She looks toward the gathering of girls. "That Atsuko Kagari's clumsy spellcasting is still there, but it is coupled with the proper organization to make it seem like an actual performance and not just accidental improvisation. I had not expected a girl from no magical background to cast a spell like  _Shyral Mryuerre_ so well after only two years of schooling. And to have mastered the metamorphosis spell as well…"

"That would be thanks to the efforts of Diana Cavendish and Professor Ursula, respectively," Finneran says.

"Ah yes, the young Cavendish did utilize that spell during her first year. It is what won her the title back then." Dorlin fixates her gaze on the aforementioned witch in question. "Even after all these years, she is still as promising as before."

"Then are you satisfied with your inspection for the night?" Holbrooke asks.

Finneran catches the thinly veiled irritation hidden behind a respectful smile. Though it is not her place to comment upon it, especially with their audience. So she decides to keep the thought to herself.

Dorlin either does not notice or does not care. "Yes, thank you for the invitation, Headmistress Holbrooke. I will have plenty to document in my report for the month."

"In spite of your satisfaction, I assume I will be waiting for another notice for your next visit?"

"That is correct." Dorlin pauses before she can leave too far. "Though, I can sway the others to push back another visit to two months. And I will try to send someone I trust if I cannot come myself."

Holbrooke nods. "Thank you, Minister."

"They are just children; that I understand. However, a miracle is a miracle. It does not discriminate, and can apply to anyone. And our fascination with miracles does not allow us to be kind in this regard. I will do what I can to preserve Diana Cavendish's normal life. But know that there are limits to what I can do, even as the Minister of Magic."

"We understand," is all Holbrooke replies.

Dorlin takes her leave. Holbrooke is the only professor who remains on the stage to watch the Minister leave the school premises before helping the others to end the eventful night.

* * *

Even after the crowd disperses and the atmosphere dies down, Amanda cannot stop laughing at Lotte's still red face.

"Geez, I think you beat Diana and Akko's award acceptances with that much blushing alone," Amanda guffaws. "You trying to give that phoenix a run for its money?"

The nine witches decide to linger beside the stage to talk and wind down from their tiring performance. There is still some time before the professors have to send the students to bed. Until them, the students are going to spend as much time as they can before the Samhain Festival truly ends.

"But- Akko! You always wanted to be the Moonlit Witch! Just like Chariot, right?!" Lotte looks from Akko to Diana. "And Diana is a far better witch than me! If anything, at least you two deserve to win!"

"I mean, it's not like I never got the title before. Remember last year?" Akko shrugs. "Getting it once is fine with me."

"Stop being so modest already," Hannah scoffs. "The title's supposed to be given to witches of talent. The professors wouldn't give it to anyone if they didn't show for it."

"And you really wow'd the crowd," Amanda says.

Barbara nods. "You really do deserve it, Lotte."

"The title of Moonlit Witch will stand out on your resume," Diana says.

"Everyone…" Lotte fixes the hat that is just a little too big on her head. "Thanks…"

"To think that entire ending act was to have Lotte on the centerstage. As expected from the ex-performer and her fan," Sucy says.

Everyone except Akko and Diana give Sucy a confused look.

"I thought Professor Ursula and Akko planned this?" Hannah says. "Who're you talking about?"

"Ah, never mind."

"Congratulations, Lotte!" Ursula says, making her way toward the group. Beside her is Croix, Amelia, and Rakshtha.

"Wait, since when were you here, Professor Croix?!" Akko asks.

"Nice seeing you again, Akko," Croix greets. "I was with Cha- Professor Ursula in the audience. I got special permission to come thanks to our new Minister being one of the judges this year. You girls put on a good show."

Amelia smirks. "That was a pretty good act for a few kids. When I met you all those months ago in the Arcturus Forest, I didn't think you were hiding so much potential! Even called my bird away!"

The phoenix beside her caws.

"Lotte's always been able to talk to spirits with her songs," Akko says. "She's amazing like that!"

"Could the song be inspired by a certain young couple?" Croix teases as she walks closer to their group with Ursula by her side.

Tears gather in Akko's eyes. "Lotte…"

Lotte smiles. "Well, a lot of it  _is_  how I've come to understand Akko. So you can say that."

"But really, that was a great performance. I haven't seen something that spectacular in years," Croix says.

"Ah, but I couldn't have done it without everyone else!" Lotte says. "Especially Professor Ursula and Akko! They were the ones who coordinated everything!"

Amanda sneers. "Heh. Can't believe you managed to get that first spell right, Akko. I'm impressed."

Akko whips her head around. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Of  _course_ she got it right! She had Diana's help, after all!" Barbara butts in.

"Yeah! Without Diana, Akko would've been hopeless," Hannah adds. "As if Akko could've gotten this far without Diana."

"Now that's not true," Lotte argues. "Akko's improved so much since the beginning because she keeps trying no matter how bad she does. She doesn't let things keep her down!"

"Not like she had much to go with in the beginning anyway," Sucy drawls. "Helps a lot when you start out with nothing."

"Hey, why does it sound like everyone is making fun of me again?!" Akko whines. "It's been two years and no one has faith in me still?!"

"Being able to call to that many magical creatures at once though…" Rakshtha twirls her pipe. "That's not something to be modest about."

Amelia nods. "High level stuff. Say Yanson, you got a minute?"

Lotte squares her shoulders. "Y-Yes?!"

Rakshtha chuckles as Amelia leads Lotte to the side so they can converse in peace. But Lotte isn't the person Rakshtha is here for.

"Good to see you're doing well, Banana Princess," Rakshtha says. "Looks like Sophia's creation is working well for you."

Amanda tries to hold back a chortle with her hand. "B-Banana Princess?!"

Diana sighs but chooses to ignore Amanda's immaturity. "Yes, everything has been well. Our monthly physical therapy sessions have progressed without difficulty as well."

Amanda grabs onto Akko's shoulder. "Akko! That lady just called Diana 'Banana Princess!'"

Akko tilts her head. "Is it really that funny? I think it's sweet!"

"That's just because you've probably been coming up with your own pet names for her," Sucy says.

Akko blushes. "That-! Okay, how did you know?"

"You sleep talk."

"Well, Diana isn't refuting anything. So your relationship must be going well too," remarks a male voice.

Diana blinks. The speaker is undoubtedly her cousin. Nothing has changed much these last few months. Yet, Diana cannot help but linger on the thin scar that runs across the bridge of his nose.

She pulls herself from her stupor and says, "Daniel. Rather surprising to see you."

Before he can retort, Katherine runs past him and barrels into Diana. The taller girl barely has any time to brace herself for the impact. Thankfully, she is used to this kind of greeting by now.

"We came to see you, Diana! We heard you were going to be putting on a big performance!"

Daniel chuckles. "Katherine only wanted to come to see her 'best cousin be cool.'"

"You were excited too. I never would have known about the festival until you mentioned it to Mother."

Daniel turns his head to hide the flush on his cheeks. "N-Nevertheless, it certainly was something to see from all of you." He turns to Akko. "Good to see you're holding up, Miss Kagari."

Akko grimaces. "Geh, you can just call me Akko. You sound like Andrew when you call me like that."

Another male responds to Akko, though it isn't Daniel this time.

"Is there something wrong with how I speak of you,  _Miss Kagari_?"

"Andrew?! You're here too?!" Akko shouts.

Andrew raises an eyebrow. "Is it so strange for me to visit Luna Nova? I  _have_ taken an interest in magic, after all. Not that I plan on becoming a spellcaster or wizard in the slightest." Andrew tries to ignore the way Akko deflates instantly. "However, I thought it would be an opportunity I shouldn't miss. Besides, Frank wanted to see Lotte Yanson perform on such a grand scale for the first time."

Everyone follows Andrew's gaze toward the place Lotte and Amelia stepped off to converse. There indeed is a third person with them, giving congratulations to the younger witch. Frank only stops shaking Lotte's hand to give her a big, congratulatory hug.

Even if it is nothing more than friendly compliments, Lotte can't help but blush at the onslaught of praises. Amelia's expression ranges from amused to annoyed at the two's awkwardness.

"He's certainly seen Miss Yanson speak to spirits during one of their rather frequent meetings," Andrew says, "though nothing to this scale. Even I'm rather surprised."

Everyone turns their attention back to Andrew. Daniel in particular continues to stare at him.

"Hanbridge. I didn't think you had an interest in the magic of witches," Daniel says.

Andrew narrows his eyes at the blonde. "You are… Daniel Reinhardt. What my interests are is none of your concern. I simply have a few acquaintances who happen to be witches."

"You don't have to be so stiff about it. Just call us friends," Akko says.

"In any case, why are  _you_ here?" Andrew asks.

Daniel points from Katherine to Diana. "My sister wanted to visit our cousin. Is there something wrong with that?"

Andrew's eyes widen. "You and Diana are cousins?!"

"I thought you were aware of the relations between the House of Cavendish and the House of Reinhardt?" Diana says.

"I- yes, I was. I just never put the connections together."

"So how do you two know each other?" Akko asks by pointing from Andrew to Daniel.

"We attend the same school. Though Hanbridge stands out more than I." Daniel shrugs. "I was never one to flaunt my academics."

"Stop acting so cool. It's just because you don't have the same grades as Appleton's top student," Katherine says.

Daniel's face burns so red that it can rival Lotte's from before. "You- You do not have to say that! That was completely unnecessary! Why must you always make my life so much harder?!"

"Come to think of it, there must be a reason why I have not noticed you from Appleton," Andrew says.

"You'd best watch your tongue, Hanbridge. This sword at my side is not a decoration."

Diana sighs. "Is this behavior necessary? You are only making a fool of yourself."

Rakshtha continues to twirl her pipe. "I suppose it was too much of me to expect everyone this age to have the Banana Princess' maturity."

Sucy shrugs. "Diana's definitely the outlier of our age."

"I really hope they don't get physical," Ursula says tiredly.

"Afraid you're going to have to pull out your own guns to stop the fight?" Croix teases.

"Please don't add fuel to the fire, Croix."

"Damn Diana, I didn't think you had such interesting relatives," Amanda says. "How'd you turn out so dull?"

"I happen to have self-restraint and common sense," Diana replies.

"Please do not lump me with him," Andrew and Daniel reply at the same time. They even through simultaneous glares at each other.

Jasminka takes out a bag of chips and starts to eat it as she moves to stand next to Sucy. Constanze slaps her face and groans, but joins Jasminka with the others too.

Akko leans in beside Diana and whispers, "Is everyone on your dad's side this trigger happy?"

"Thankfully, not Katherine."

The bickering and the sheer size of their group start to catch the other students' attentions. Not to mention just exactly  _who_ is gathered within their large group.

"Ne, ne, what are those handsome men arguing about?" one girl asks.

"Who cares  _what_ they're talking about?! Do you know who they are?!" another hisses. "That's Andrew Hanbridge, the Viscount of Appleton Academy and the son of the Minister of State."

"And that's Daniel Reinhardt, the current head of the House of Reinhardt!" The third girl points to the sword strapped to his left side. "You see that? That's the Brisingr, the House of Reinhardt's talisman!"

"EH?! I've never seen one of the artifacts of the Six Great Houses up close!"

A fourth girl nods. "We saw Andrew two years ago when he and his father visited Luna Nova. And for the young head of the House of Reinhardt to be here too."

"Not to mention those other two ladies are Lady Amelia and Lady Raksththa, the heads of two other Great Houses," Girl 2 says.

"And they're all with those girls?!"

"Well what do you expect? Do you even know what those third years have accomplished?" the girl points to Diana first. "That's Diana Cavendish. Yes,  _the_ Diana from  _the_ House of Cavendish."

"The actual Ace of Luna Nova?!"

The girl nods. "They say she's the most talented witch of her generation. Everyone goes to her for help, even the teachers. It's said that she even survived a terrible curse that had no known cure."

"On top of coming from one of the Six Great Houses, she even meets with the heads of two other Great Houses on a monthly basis," Girl 4 adds.

"There was a rumor going around that Diana actually died to save the world. But the Ministry says she was just MIA for a bit and in critical condition. She's still recovering and that's why she visits the two heads of the Great Houses so much," Girl 3 says.

"But Diana's not the only one who saved the world half a year ago." Girl 2's finger shifts from Diana to Akko. "There's Diana's girlfriend: Atsuko Kagari herself. Even though she comes from a non-magical background, that girl has accomplished more than anyone I've ever known. Not only is she a master at metamorphosis magic, but she's also the previous wielder of the Claiomh Solais."

"The what?"

Girl 2 rolls her eyes. "The thing that was used to shoot down the missile. That big bow thing. And Akko and Diana were the ones to wield it. Well, it looked like Akko was main one shooting and Diana giving support."

"Whoa…"

"Yeah. Imagine getting support from someone like Diana Cavendish!"

"Akko even won the title of Moonlit Witch last year. As expected of Diana Cavendish's girlfriend. Not only does she have skill, but she's also got connections to people like Andrew Hanbridge and Daniel Reinhardt."

"The others aren't just nobodies either," Girl 3 says. "There's Amanda O'Neil. She's supposed to be the best flyer, even better than Diana."

"Ehhh? That I find hard to believe. Didn't Diana's team win the broom relay two years in a row?"

"Yeah, but Amanda's got the acrobats to win. Have you  _seen_ her moves?"

Girl 2 coughs and continues, "She's done a lot of other things that are definitely true. She's apparently on Professor Finneran's bad side. Permanently."

Girl 4 points to where Lotte and Amelia are. "And that Lotte who won Moonlit Witch this year? How can you not see how cool she is? She just called upon so many magical creatures! Even a phoenix!"

"Bet she can call a dragon too." Girl 3 smirks.

"Then there's Sucy Manbavaran, master of potions and poisons. She's been interning with Professor Lukić. For  _fun_."

"The big one next to her is Jasminka Antonenko. She's one of Amanda's teammates."

"I heard she defeated a high ranking wizard of the Ministry of Magic."

"I mean, that might be true considering there are rumors that she wrestles bears to train."

"And don't look down on that short girl next to her. Constanze has a name so long that no one except Finneran can remember it."

"As expected from a member of the green team, she's got her own share of rebellious acts too. Heard she combines magic with technology all the time to piss off the professors. I mean, just look at that little robot by her side!"

"I mean, it looks pretty adorable."

"What about Diana's roommates?" Girl 1 asks.

"What about them? What else needs to be said other than they're Diana Cavendish's loyal retainers? You need to be  _that_  good to keep up with Diana Cavendish as a teammate come on!"

As the other students continue to gossip (rather loudly), the main group starts to notice all of the commotion that they are causing.

Andrew raises an eyebrow. "Do these girls have so little to do that they'd turn to pointless gossip? Where is this all coming from?"

"These fangirls are too much. Is this how fame is?" Daniel wonders.

Amanda laughs. "Well, they're not wrong. I  _am_ a better flyer than Diana! No contest needed!"

"That's not true!" Akko retorts. "Diana is definitely a better flyer than you!"

"Huh?! Your words ain't got any basis. Just because you're her girlfriend doesn't mean you have to take her side all the time!"

"That's because Diana  _does_ fly better than you! No. Contest. Needed."

"Oh yeah?!"

"There  _was_  that entire missile crisis," Daniel points out. "Not to mention her tactical flying saved my life against that dragon in the Regulus Caverns more times than I could count."

Akko crosses her arms over her chest in victory. "Ha! See?"

"Bet I could've done better!"

"For once, I have to agree with Akko," Hannah cuts in. Barbara nods beside her. "Diana is definitely the best flyer."

"You're both Diana's 'loyal retainers' so your opinions don't count either," Amanda says.

Diana sighs, having enough. "None of this matters. This is all just pointless gossip."

"Well, it isn't really gossip if most of it is true," Daniel says.

"Please do not add unnecessary commentary."

"Geh."

As each group preoccupies themselves with whatever mundane conversation relevant to the situation, a third, smaller group stands to the side of them all on their own. The girl between her friends clenches her fists and takes one step forward…

And then retracts her foot.

One of her teammates groans, reaching up to tug on her curly black hair. "Yuzu, just go up to her if you want to say something. At this rate, you're going to stand here for the rest of your life."

Yuzu straightens her spine and brings her clenched fists to her side. "I will! I definitely will go up to her!"

The third girl scoffs. "Yuzu, relax already. Your face is starting to turn redder than Lotte's."

"Is it really?!" Yuzu asks.

The second girl shakes her head and leans forward to fix some strands of Yuzu's raven black hair. "You're only creating more stress for yourself by hesitating so much. Akko is a nice person! Why wouldn't she want to talk to you?"

"But she's Akko-senpai! You heard those girls. How am I supposed to go up to a celebrity just like that?"

"I doubt Akko is an  _actual_ celebrity, at least not like Diana Cavendish," the third girl says as she continues to pick at her nails with disinterest. "Besides, you've talked to Akko before already. Just think of it as asking her for help like you usually do."

"Except you don't actually have questions to ask. Only compliments," the curly-haired girl says.

"Shuri! Hyunji! This isn't something so easy!" Yuzu huffs. "What would you two do if your ideal was standing right there?"

The curly-haired girl - Shuri - answers, "Definitely go up to them and ask for an autograph right away."

Hyunji shrugs. "Shake their hand probably. But you've done both those things already."

"So simple?!" Yuzu cries.

Having enough, Shuri and Hyunji nod to each other and place their palms on the back of Yuzu's shoulders.

"Just go already!"

"W-Wait!" Yuzu digs her heels into the dirt as the other two girls of the purple team push her closer to Akko's group. "Let me at least think of something to say!"

"If you keep thinking, you're going to turn into an old grandma by the time you get the courage to speech your mind!" Shuri says.

"Besides, it's too late." Hyunji gives Yuzu one last push. "Have fun."

Yuzu yelps as she's practically smacked into the infamous group of witches. She throws her head back to glare at her teammates. But the other two are already too far for her to do anything in that instant.

Yuzu's sudden presence halts the conversations happening in the group. Even the gossipers have hushed to watch this change of events unfold.

Yuzu's mouth opens. Despite how she tries, she can't find the strength to get any coherent words out except, "A-Akko… senpai…"

Akko's face brightens. "Oh! Yuzu! Hi!" Akko squints her eyes. "Is it just me or do you look really red?"

Yuzu jumps. "N-Nothing at all! I just wanted to say… etto… that was a great performance! Yeah!" Yuzu nods, more to herself than anything. "That was a great way to end the festival! All the magic and lights were cool! And when Diana caught you on the unicorn!" Her eyes find Lotte past the crowd. "And then Lotte's singing! It's everything I imagined for the Samhain Festival!"

Akko nods with an equally large smile. "It  _was_ cool, wasn't it?! And to think we'd be stuck with the boring stuff if we had gone along with how it used to be."

"The  _traditions_ were there for a reason, Akko," Diana admonishes. "Though, I suppose it does not hurt to make amendments as times change."

"Oh yeah!" Akko moves over and brings Yuzu closer to the group, despite Yuzu's growing blush. "This is Yuzu! She just came to Luna Nova this year. And this is" Akko goes in order to introduce everyone, pointing to each respective person, "Amanda, Constanze, and Jasminka are on the green team, Sucy and Lotte over there are my roommates, Professor Croix - well she doesn't teach here anymore but who cares - and you know Professor Ursula, Hannah and Barbara the rich girls who can afford anything-"

"Why is  _that_ how you introduce us?!"

"-and of course my girlfriend, Diana! Oh, and those two are Daniel and Andrew. Daniel's Diana's cousin."

Yuzu nods slowly, trying her best to remember the plethora of names thrown at her just now. "Akko-senpai, you're really popular."

"Really? They're just my friends."

"Wait, this is Yuzu?  _The_ Yuzu?" Amanda asks.

"No way! Akko's number one fan really does exist?!" Hannah cries.

Diana crosses her arms over her chest. "I have mentioned her numerous times to you girls. Did you think I was lying?"

"It's pretty hard to believe," Barbara says, "But now that we're seeing her for our own eyes…"

Yuzu frowns. "How is that surprising? Akko-senpai is amazing! I'm sure she has a lot of fans!"

"Not any like you," Amanda snickers. "You're really something. Hey Sucy, doesn't she kind of remind you of Akko?"

Yuzu's eyes light up. "Really?!"

"Yeah. Even has that stupid look that Akko always has," Sucy drawls.

"Hey!" Akko and Yuzu shout simultaneously.

Hannah shakes her head. "Akko has a  _fan_. And from the looks of it she's pretty serious too! What's next? Diana is going to eat a cheeseburger?"

" … Please do not drag me into this," Diana mumbles.

Eventually, Akko even drags Yuzu's teammates into this debate. Having those two add their opinions about the matter solidifies Yuzu's status as Akko's number one fan, the fact that Akko even  _has_ a number one fan, and Yuzu's own embarrassment.

"I'm impressed, Chariot," Croix says. "To think you organized such an elaborate performance as a  _resume booster_ for Lotte."

"A professor needs to look out for her students," Ursula replies as a matter-of-fact. "Besides, Lotte is a talented young witch. She just needs a bit of a push to gain the recognition she deserves."

"Well it's certainly hard  _not_ to be noticed in a group like theirs." Croix smiles. "They actually look like normal kids when they argue like that. Hard to tell they're the ones who saved the world twice over."

"Those girls certainly deserve all the normality they can get. They've gone through so much already," Ursula says.

"It seems Akko and Diana are holding up well after what happened. And Diana's cousin seems to be fine despite having his arm cut off less than a year ago. Magic, huh?"

"We  _are_ witches."

"There are things that magic can't fix." Croix's expression falls. "I still haven't found a cure to Wagandea's pollen. After an entire year too…"

Ursula places her hand on Croix's shoulder. "There's no rush. I've actually adapted well to flightlessness. Akko is happy to fly me to places whenever we go together."

"I'm sure she likes the opportunity to show off to her favorite professor."

Ursula can't stop her lips from pulling up into a smile. Despite the heaviness lingering in the back of their minds, neither she nor Croix have the heart to contemplate those dark thoughts for long during this time of happiness.

"Those girls have really grown, haven't they?" Croix says.

"Yes, they really have come a long way." Ursula looks up at the full moon, eyes lingering on the star-shaped crater permanently affixed on the moon's surface. "Let's just hope this peace lasts."

Only when the clouds drift over the moon does Ursula return her gaze to the young witches who have become so important to her. For a faint second, Ursula notes the faraway look in Diana's eyes uncharacteristic of someone with clear cognitive functions. If she were close enough, Ursula would have also heard a small vibration right before Diana shakes her head and returns to the conversation at hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, I can write happy! Enjoy it while it lasts~
> 
> I'm trying to get into graduate school for neuroscience research, not the arts. I can't plan my own stage performance to save my life so bear with me here.
> 
> Yes, the 'senpai' honorific is intentionally added in the narrative. Just like Akko, Yuzu is from Japan. She just hasn't given up much of her original dialect and likes to reserve that particular honorific for Akko.
> 
> One final, big announcement. I know I've only posted two chapters to this fic, but we're now going to shift gears into Dianakko Week mode. I've planned a multi-chapter story (completely separate from anything I've written before) that connects all of the prompts in one cohesive plot. There are a few buildup chapters that lead into the Dianakko Week prompts, so those will go up in place of updating this story. Therefore, _Heart of Titanium_ will go on 'hiatus' and not resume until at least after Dianakko Week ends.
> 
> Thanks for the patience guys. I'm trying to spread out my updates so I don't run out of things to post in like, a month XD
> 
> Please look forward to the prologue of my Dianakko Week story, _Timeless Oath_.
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> The title _Heart of Titanium_ follows the naming convention of its predecessors. In this case, titanium is a stronger metal than steel, which is supposed to symbolize the growth of Diana's character after so many trials that she's been through ~~aka all the bs I put her through LOL~~.
> 
> I feel like at some point someone asked me if I could've named the story anything cheesier (though I can't remember who and from what social media platform). My answer is: AT LEAST I DIDN'T NAME IT SOMETHING LIKE 'HEART OF GOLD' PLS.


	3. Act V.ii. From Dunce to Role Model??? - Sunny_Days_3.0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which some aspects of life at Luna Nova are the same, while some are not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> W… _WOW_ this story has not updated in _ages_. I am sincerely sorry. I guess when I spaced out my updates and left this baby for last, it ended up extending the hiatus from Dianakko week to… well, now. Between joining a new lab, grad school apps, and getting into a new fandom, there've been a lot of things coming between me and focusing on this story.
> 
> As much as you all support me, we all know the real reason everyone's here. So I won't delay you readers any longer!

A heavy fog obscures her mind. She doesn't understand what exactly she is doing except standing in the middle of darkness in a state of weightlessness. So light, yet heavy at the same time. It makes no sense; nothing makes sense.

There is something underneath her feet, but she cannot move her head to look down to check what it is. All she can move are her hands. The tips of her fingers twitch, as if yearning for something that has long since disappeared from her reach.

A sound filters past the heaviness weighing down on her existence. It starts off soft at first, slowly growing in volume and intensity. It sounds familiar… Where has she heard this voice…?

* * *

"-ko. Akko!  _Akko_!"

"WHA-?!" Akko gets caught in her blankets as she rolls out of bed, landing in a tangled heap on the ground. "Ow, ow…"

Lotte sighs. "You're finally awake. Did you have another nightmare?"

"What? No? I don't- I don't think so?" Akko scratches her head. "It doesn't feel like a nightmare…"

"Why was it so hard to wake you this time?" Lotte looks back at their third roommate. "Did you give her something odd to drink again?"

"You told me to stop doing that," Sucy replies.

"But you never listen to me."

Sucy shrugs. "Maybe Akko's ridiculous energy finally ran out and she was actually tired. She usually sleeps like the dead anyway."

"Uh, so what's going on?" Akko asks from the floor, still tangled in her blankets.

"Class is going to start soon," Lotte says. "Hurry and get changed so we can make it before the professor starts."

"In about…" Sucy checks the time, "ten minutes actually."

"WHAT?!" Akko shoots up. Except the blankets around her body prevent her from doing anything more than that and falling flat onto her face. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?! I don't have time to eat!"

"We did try," Lotte says as she tries to talk over Akko's whirlwind of movement. "You were in such a deep sleep that we didn't have any luck at all."

"I suggested a pain response or a choking reflex, but Lotte didn't let me," Sucy says.

"Uh, no I don't want any of that thanks. I  _was_ having this weird dream, but I can't remember it anymore. Oh well; must not be important." Akko throws on the closest clothes she can find and calls it a day. "Let's go!"

Sucy raises an eyebrow. "Isn't that Diana's vest?"

"What? No? Why would it be Diana's vest?"

"Oh, it is," Lotte says. "It's the one you said you were going to return to her after she left it here a few days ago. Plus it looks a little big on you."

Akko's cheeks flush pink. "No one's going to notice it's not mine! Diana isn't  _that_ much taller than me!"

"Well, she  _is_ bigger in other areas," Lotte points out. "Not to mention the growth spurt she got last year. Even though her new body seems to have halved that growth spurt."

"Just let her wear it, Lotte." Sucy's lips pull up into a mischievous smirk. "How much do you want to bet it takes the first person who talks to Akko to notice that she's wearing someone else's clothes?"

"Are we really betting on Akko's clothing again?" Lotte sighs. She follows Akko out of the room with Sucy trailing behind. "If anyone would notice a difference it would probably be either Hannah or Barbara, wouldn't it? Or maybe even Diana since it's hers."

"Diana's too busy staring at Akko to notice something like that. So you bet Hannah and Barbara?"

Lotte sighs. "I guess so. I'm sorry, Akko."

"Huh?" Akko looks back to answer Lotte. "At this point I'm just going to tune out whatever you guys are saying. Constanze says that's what she does whenever she wants to 'preserve her sanity' around us."

"Akko, that's not a  _nice_ thing."

"It works though," Sucy says.

"Please don't encourage this."

* * *

The three make it to class in time and even have a few minutes to spare. The first thing Akko does when she enters the classroom is to greet Diana (and the rest of the blue team).

"Good morning, Diana!" Akko greets with a smile.

"Good morning, Akko," Diana replies. "Were you happen to be running late this morning?"

"We had some trouble waking Akko up this morning," Lotte chuckles.

"Oh? And did you have time to eat?"

On cue, Akko's stomach grumbles her answer for her.

"Uh…"

Diana shakes her head. She reaches beside her and pulls out three wrapped pastries. "I had a feeling this would happen when I did not see you three in the dining hall this morning."

Lotte's eyes brighten. "Wow! Thanks, Diana!"

"FOOD!" Akko snatches the pastry from Diana's hand and takes a large bite into the bread. "Oh man, I thought I was going to have to starve for the next four hours. You're the best, Diana!"

"You sure you got three at first? Or did you only think to get your girlfriend some food before remembering that her misfortune also plagues us too?" Sucy wonders.

Diana raises an eyebrow, undeterred by Sucy's implications. "Of course not. I happen to have had that knowledge since the beginning. These past two years have given me enough experience to understand how Akko is, girlfriend or not."

"And even if she didn't consider it at first, at least she was nice enough to think about you guys!" Hannah says.

"Yeah-!" Something about Akko catches Barbara's eye. "Hey Diana, isn't that your missing vest?"

Akko chokes on her bread. Hannah takes the chance to lean closer and check for herself as Akko hacks for breath.

"Huh, it really is. Hey Akko, why do you have Diana's clothes? Actually, why are you  _wearing_ Diana's clothes?"

"Wh-" Akko swallows the remaining food in her mouth so she doesn't choke again, "why do you two always notice the weirdest things?!"

"How is this weird? If anything, you wearing our  _roommate's_ clothes is weird!" Barbara says.

"Who happens to be my  _girlfriend_!"

"You know that implies something not-so rated PG, right?"

At this point, Akko is ready to pull her hair out or slap the daylights out of the two girls. Diana would help reign in her teammates and girlfriend if she wasn't so stupefied by her own embarrassment. She can only pinch the bridge of her nose and shake her head.

Sucy would find this amusing if Lotte wasn't holding out her hand.

"At this rate I'm going to be broke from you before this school leeches all the money from me," Sucy grumbles, slapping a few pounds into Lotte's open palm.

"Sucy, you may be a master at poisons and mushrooms, but you need to pay more attention to the interactions of life."

"Is this through reading your  _Night Fall_ cliches and the fanfictions in the middle of the night?"

"I happen to talk to many customers when I help my family in their shop. Not all of my experiences come from  _Night Fall_."

Their respective conversations are stopped once the professor announces her arrival by slamming the classroom door shut. The woman takes off her witch's hat once she enters the room. Even though she appears to be around Professor Ursula's age, there are two red feathers on the left side of the hat in contrast to Ursula's single feather. The woman fixes the ponytail tying up her brown hair once the hat is off.

"Everyone take your seats and we may begin today's lecture." The professor's eyes linger on Akko, Sucy, and Lotte, who happen to be the only three standing. "Quickly now!"

Akko and Lotte twitch and respond simultaneously, "Yes, Professor Norling!"

Akko waves at Diana one more time before finding her seat with Lotte and Sucy. As the students take out the necessary items for note-taking, Norling takes her place behind the podium and begins her class.

"Before we begin with today's lecture, allow me to remind you all of the requirements for your class project. As the main assignment that tests your accumulated knowledge from this class, I suggest you start looking for the materials for your individual summonings as soon as possible. Leaving it for the last minute will only hurt yourself and your grade. Remember, procrastination is not your best friend."

"Pretty hard to avoid if we've got ten thousand other assignments to do too," Akko grumbles.

"At least this isn't an exam like many other classes," Lotte whispers. "It's not so much studying as research."

"That doesn't make much of a difference for Akko," Sucy says.

"Although you won't be performing the actual summoning ritual until the end of your final years as part of your fourth year project, it is best to gather the necessary materials early in case of unforeseen mishaps. Therefore, you will need to decide what creature you plan to summon as soon as possible. You will turn in your proposals by the end of this semester. Now, are there any questions?"

A student near the right center of the class raises her hand.

"Yes, Miss McKinley?"

"What creatures are we allowed to summon?"

"Any of the spirits that have been discussed in your classes are allowed. Familiars ranging from a household cat to a dragon are all permitted. Granted, creatures of higher order will be more difficult to summon, as it will be harder to gather the proper catalysts and perform the summoning itself. I suggest sticking to simpler spirits and not overestimate yourselves. Though there are a few exceptions" Norling glances at Diana from the corner of her eyes, "who are able to summon even a unicorn at such a young age."

"What about forbidden ones? Which ones aren't we allowed to even try to summon?" the same student asks.

"There are quite a few summonings that are off limits. Though, most will be impossible in the first place; finding the right catalyst for the summon will be forbidden anyway." Norling pauses to sort through her thoughts. Once she gathers her words, she places her palms flat on the surface of the podium and continues, "Of all forbidden creatures, there is one summoning that is taboo for all spellcasters. No matter what situation, you are not allowed to even  _think_ about summoning the highest of all atrocities."

McKinley gulps. "And what's that, Professor?"

"There is a name for a specific category of spirits that dwell in the realm of the dead reserved for the most horrible beings. The inhabitants of the land we commonly known as Hell are called Demons. Accounts of them vary from source to source because only a select few have encountered them directly. Demons do not naturally manifest in the living world." Norling trains her eyes on the entire class. "You are all forbidden from attempting to summon a Demon from Hell. To do so is the worst taboo a witch can commit. You can kiss your freedom and sanity goodbye if you are caught."

"Is it even worse than bringing back the dead?" McKinley asks.

"Oh of course. After all, the dead can be controlled and subdued. A Demon cannot."

* * *

The rest of the day continues devoid of any ominous topics like the one that opened their morning. By the time lunch comes around, Akko is more worried about her upcoming History of Western Magic exam than the idea of summoning Demons from Hell.

"I thought you've been studying with Diana?" Amanda says as she sits down across from Akko with her tray of food. "Have we gotten to the point where even the Banana Princess with all her perfection can't teach the school dunce?"

Akko slams her hands on the table. "For the last time,  _you're_ the dunce, Amanda!"

"Oh yeah? Your grades don't say the same thing."

"Like your grades are any better!"

"Are we just going to ignore that Amanda called her 'Banana Princess' like the head of the House of Chavla does?" Constanze writes and shows.

Jasminka shrugs. "It's a cute nickname."

"Nicknames are reserved for the girlfriends," Constanze writes back.

"Just leave the idiots alone," Sucy says. "You can't change the minds of Luna Nova's dunces."

" _She's_ the dunce!" Amanda and Akko shout at once. They both turn to glare at each other.

Diana places her tray of food down with finality and takes a seat. "Enough. Who is the true worst student is of no importance. What you should both be focusing on is raising your grades so you no longer  _have_ that reputation."

Akko huffs while Amanda rolls her eyes and snorts.

Hannah sighs. "Geez, you think you two would be better now that you're third years. If anything, you might even have worse grades than some of the first years."

"No, that's definitely a thing," Barbara says.

"At least Akko has a fan who looks up to her. I mean, here she comes now."

The others turn to the direction Hannah indicates and sees Yuzu approaching by herself. She too has a tray of food in her hands. Though, at this rate the food is going to end up on the floor before her mouth with how much her hands are shaking.

"Hi, Yuzu!" Akko greets. "You wanna sit with us? We can always grab another chair for you."

Yuzu's back straightens so quickly that some of the liquid in her bowl jumps into the air. She has no free hands to hide the flush growing on her cheeks.

"Is that okay?" she asks with a voice so meek that even Hannah and Barbara pity her so much that they stand up together to take action.

Hannah walks to the nearest table, tells the girls already sitting there a short explanation, and grabs the chair without waiting for a response. Hannah places the chair down on Akko's left and takes the tray from Yuzu's hands. She steps to the side to let Barbara practically shove Yuzu into the vacant seat. Hannah puts the tray down in front of Yuzu once the first year is seated.

"… Eh?"

The rest of the group stare at Hannah and Barbara with surprise. The two return to their seats, satisfied with the end outcome.

"Geez, it's just  _Akko_. There's no need to be so scared of her." Hannah scoffs. "It's like trying to talk to a puppy. All you have to do is be nice to her and the world will be all colorful and rainbows."

"Just say what you want to say and do what you want to do," Barbara says.

"I don't really know what that was for, but yeah what they said." Akko flashes Yuzu a smile. "So welcome to our group!"

Yuzu gasps. "Is it really okay for me to sit here? With upperclassman?"

"There's no rule against it." Amanda smirks. "What? Do you guys just sit with each other because of some sort of self-imposed rule? Do we scare you that much?"

"No… Well, kind of?"

"Luna Nova has no rules restricting where the students choose to sit. You are welcome as long as you wish," Diana says.

"Remember how everyone was scared to sit next to you three because 'Ohhh, it's Diana Cavendish! Only the best can sit with her!'" Amanda laughs. "The looks on everyone's faces when Akko straight up dropped her tray in front of Diana after she tripped over my foot! Man, that was a great day."

Akko growls. "You made me spill food everywhere! I almost didn't have dinner to eat!"

"Everywhere? Including on Diana?" Yuzu asks.

Barbara covers her face with her hands. "It was the first time anyone had ever seen Diana covered in yuck. She was  _so_ upset."

"This is why we do not speak of that incident. For everyone's sanity," Diana says.

"The elves couldn't believe someone could actually spill their food completely within two minutes of getting it," Sucy says. "At least Lotte was able to earn some sympathy from them."

"We did end up sitting together since then," Lotte says. "All nine of us together. Thinking of it any other way doesn't seem right."

"Do you guys have any crazy adventures that you've encountered together? Besides that time you stopped the evil missile from destroying an entire country?" Yuzu asks.

Amanda chuckles. "You're in for a treat, kid. Akko's life might seem pretty interesting, but let me tell you about some of the stuff Jasna, Constanze, and I have been in. And don't even ask about Diana - her life is either dead boring or stupid crazy. There's no in-between."

Luna Nova's lunch period is not enough time for Amanda to tell every story to Yuzu in as much depth as she puts in. While Hannah and Barbara scoffs and Constanze wishes Amanda would stop embellishing the stories, Yuzu takes it all in with a fervent enthusiasm that doesn't die even after lunch ends. She makes Amanda tell her more the next time they meet, especially the stories involving Akko.

"But I already told you those," Akko says.

"I love hearing them again!" Yuzu insists. "I'm sure it'll be even better the second time!"

Once they finish their food, the girls dispose of their trash and return their utensils and trays to the kitchen staff. Their next round of classes will begin in a few minutes, leaving them with little time to do anything else other than speak later.

Yuzu comes up to Akko before they go their separate ways. "Oh, there was a reason why I wanted to talk to you today, Akko-senpai. Are you free tonight?"

Akko nods. "I don't think I have anything to do. Why?"

"Is it alright if you help me with metamorphosis magic again? I'm still having some trouble with it. And the exam is coming up soon…"

"Yeah, no problem! I'm always willing to help, Yuzu. We can talk more during dinner and set up a study session tonight."

Yuzu grabs Akko's hand and shakes it up and down. "Thank you, Akko-senpai! I'll see you later then!"

Akko waves Yuzu goodbye as the freshman heads toward a different direction from the third years.

"Did I just see that right, Barbara?" Hannah asks with wide eyes.

Barbara nods, mouth flapping open. "Yeah… I think so. Akko is…  _tutoring someone_?!"

Amanda guffaws. "The school dunce is tutoring someone! Man, how bad are her grades?"

"Why do you keep forgetting that  _you're_ the dunce?!" Akko shouts.

"It's just metamorphosis magic that she needs help on," Sucy says. "From her grades, she seems to be fine with everything else."

Constanze writes and flips up a sign that says, "Isn't she one of the top students at History of Magic?"

"Yes, I believe that is what I heard from the other professors," Diana says. "Though for her to come directly to you for assistance… that in itself is certainly an improvement from your early days at Luna Nova." Diana keeps her eyes focused on her bickering girlfriend. "I cannot be more proud."

"Well, it just shows how far Akko has come, hasn't it?" Lotte smiles at Akko. "Even though she struggled a lot at first, now she's good enough to help others when they're having trouble. She really has come so far."

Akko and Amanda become aware of the others staring at Akko. Amanda takes a step back and joins the others as they acknowledge Akko's improvement.

Akko tilts her head in confusion. "Uh, why are you guys staring at me like that? It's kind of weird."

Hannah slaps her cheeks. "Ahhh, don't make me say it out loud. It's embarrassing. Let's just go to class already!"

Hannah storms ahead of them to avoid anyone catching the blush growing in her cheeks. Akko's confusion only intensifies at her strange behavior.

"You know, she's kind of cute when she's upset," Amanda remarks.

The others choose not to comment on that. Though Barbara does throw a conspicuous glare at Amanda's back for the rest of the walk.

* * *

As promised, Yuzu rejoins the group during dinner and sets up a study session with Akko that same night. They finish their dinners before Akko leads Yuzu out to the courtyard to practice the metamorphosis spell.

Akko stretches her body, taking a deep breath to savor the cool night air. It isn't too chilly for a night in November. Their cloaks are enough to keep them warm for the night for a good few hours.

Akko looks up at the sky, nodding at the stars and the moonlight from the crescent moon. "There's enough light tonight that we won't need lanterns or anything for us to see."

"Is this where you come out to practice, Akko-senpai?"

"Yep. I have a lot of memories here with Professor Ursula and Diana when they helped me with my spells." Akko's eyes fall. "There are some not-so happy memories but…"

"Akko-senpai?"

Akko shakes her head to rid herself from those melancholic thoughts. "There's enough space for you to throw around the spells without hurting much. And it always felt better to have the fresh air to think. I can never focus in that stuffy old library. I don't know how Diana does it." Akko spreads her arms out. "It's so open that you can do anything! And there's no roof, so if you fly into the sky on accident you won't hit something. But I guess there's nothing to catch you either…"

"Um… will that be okay for me?"

Akko whirls to point a finger at Yuzu. "That's why you always have someone to watch over you. Professor Ursula used to take care of me, then Diana, and now I'm going to do the same for you!"

Yuzu nods resolutely. "I trust you, Akko-senpai. So I won't disappoint you either!"

"Okay then! Let's see what you can do!" Akko points to herself. "Start by turning me into anything you want. Just don't pick something really huge. I don't really want to get yelled at for destroying the courtyard."

Yuzu stares at her incredulously. "You want me to turn  _you_ into something? But what if I make a huge mistake?!"

"I mean, the most you'll do is transform me halfway. But I guess I can always turn myself back myself." Akko hums. "Or you can get Diana or someone else to help us if it gets that bad. Maybe I should've brought a bunny or something."

"If you're sure…"

Akko waves her off. "What's the worst that can happen? I don't think you want to hear all of the embarrassing stories I have with Professor Ursula. I don't know how she handled all the mistakes I made. Just remember one thing." Akko knocks her fist against her chest. "A believing heart is your magic. If you have the right image and the conviction, you'll be able to get it right!"

Yuzu nods. "Right. A believing heart is my magic!"

Yuzu flourishes her wand and holds it out in front of her with both hands on the handle. She takes a deep breath, creating an image of what she wants to transform Akko into.

(A monkey. That should be easy, right? Those are our closest relatives in terms of the animal kingdom… The cutest monkey! Akko is going to become the cutest little friend alive! Even cuter than Kirara back at home!)

" _ **Metamorphie Fociesse**_!"

Akko braces herself for the impact of the spell. Except the trajectory of the green energy doesn't go straight towards her. It curves upward and encompasses Yuzu's head, transforming not her entire body but only her ears into a pair of fluffy, black cat ears.

Yuzu opens her eyes one at a time. Her face falls when she sees that Akko is unchanged. Akko doesn't even have the heart tell Yuzu that she transformed her own ears when the cat ears droop to match Yuzu's crestfallen expression.

"Th-That's okay! It's just the first try! You just have to practice more!"

"It's  _always_ like this," Yuzu berates herself. "Every time I want something to go some way, it always turns out completely different from what I want! Why won't anything ever go right?"

Akko opens her mouth to offer some comforting words, but closes it at when she recognizes how similar this defeated girl is to her. So instead of saying anything, Akko walks forward and reaches up to rub the black cat ears sitting on top of Yuzu's head.

"Oh wow, they're really soft!"

"E-Eh?!" Yuzu shrieks. Her hands fly to her head to feel the ears where Akko's hands are. Then they fall down to locate where her human ears should be. She cries again when she feels them missing. "I-I turned myself into a cat?!"

"Not really. Looks like just your ears." Akko walks around to look for any other abnormalities. "Yep, just the ears. They're really cute, Yuzu! I'd say it's a good job!"

"A good-?! Akko-senpai, I was trying to turn  _you_ into a  _monkey_! How did I mess up so much?!"

"I made a lot of mistakes like this too. There was one time I transformed myself partly into a monkey. Oh man, and when I accidentally turned Andrew into part-donkey. That was funny! And I still can't really turn myself into a fish."

"Then how did you get so good at metamorphosis magic? How'd you stop doing all of that?"

Akko pinches her chin. "Uh, I think I just stopped thinking about it. I looked at the thing I wanted to transform and thought 'monkey' or whatever I wanted it to be. I didn't get it correct right away, but that's what I remember."

"But that's what I did! I pictured what I wanted you to be! A monkey!" Yuzu crouches down onto the ground, hiding her face in her knees. "And I still gave myself cat ears."

Akko's outstretched hand twitches halfway out. She pulls the hand back to grab her hair in frustration.

(Ahhh, how am I supposed to do this right?! Professor Ursula and Diana are the teachers, not me! How'd they make me feel better when I was upset?!)

Akko taps her foot on the grass to contemplate what her next course of action so be.

(Professor Ursula used to tell me to keep practicing. Diana would scold me and tell me what should be fixed. But the both of them…)

A lightbulb flashes in Akko's head.

Akko strides over to where Yuzu kneels and plops herself onto the grass beside her.

"Ne Yuzu, why do you like magic?"

Yuzu lifts her head just enough for her eyes to peek out from her arms. "Huh?"

"What's so good about magic to you?"

Yuzu sniffs. "I saw you use it against that missile-"

"Right right, you told me about that. And you worked your hardest to come to Luna Nova so you can learn magic and do that someday. But why'd you like it?" Akko leans back on her hands. "I came to Luna Nova to follow the footsteps of my idol, Shiny Chariot." Akko squeals. "Chariot's magic was so cool! When I saw her show as a kid, I wanted to do what she could do. I wanted to bring happiness to everyone through magic. Just like Chariot did for me. It would've been great if you could see it. If you thought our performance during the Samhain Festival was cool, just imagine one of Chariot's shows to be like that but even cooler!"

"Shiny Chariot… I heard of her before. Not a lot, but I don't think a lot of witches like her."

"Psh, they just don't know real magic. They're too stuck on old fartsy ways. But Chariot is the best! And I wanted to be just like her." Akko takes a deep breath. "I came to Luna Nova because I wanted to follow the same path Chariot did. And then I found something better. Yeah, Chariot was the reason why I wanted to learn magic. But she's not the only who supported me, you know? It was everyone! All of my friends, my teachers," Akko grins, "my girlfriend. Everyone started to stand beside me and give me a push whenever I needed it. I couldn't have done it without them."

"So the right support helped you improve?"

Akko nods. "In the end, I still wanted to learn magic to make people happy. But I wanted to show everyone who stood by me that I could do it! Because whenever I did something right, it made  _them_ smile too! And that's when I realized it wasn't just for me anymore. It was to show everyone that I could do it! That their support really helped!" Akko turns to Yuzu. "So do you have something like that? A reason to learn magic?"

Yuzu frowns. "It… isn't something as cool as that."

"That's okay!" Akko scratches her cheek. "My reason's kind of embarrassing anyway. But as long as it gets me through the tough parts, right?"

Yuzu sits up so her face isn't hidden by her arms anymore. She still keeps her arms wrapped around her legs. "You're really something, Akko-senpai. You're even… you're even more amazing in person."

"Really? That makes me really happy!"

"When you and Diana took down that missile, when you turned all of those attacks into harmless energy with  _Metamorphie Faciesse_ , I couldn't take my eyes away from the screen. You were just… so confident. You mesmerized everyone  _and_ saved the world. I always wondered what kind of person you were."

Yuzu trains her eyes onto the grass. "I wanted to meet you. I wanted to meet the girls who were my age but could do so much more than I ever could. So I studied as much as I could in one year so I could take the entrance exam into Luna Nova and attend the same school as you all before you graduated." Yuzu giggles. "I don't know how I got in, but I almost fainted when I saw the acceptance letter in my mailbox. I think Mom and Dad said they almost went deaf with how loud I screamed."

Akko grins. "I did that too when I got my acceptance letter. There's just something about getting into this great school your idol went to."

Yuzu nods. "I learned more about you after I started Luna Nova. You have no idea how happy I was when I heard you were also not from a magic family. I mean, Diana is great and all and I can see that for myself, but you had  _no_ training before your first year here. And you mastered metamorphosis magic by your third year! How great is that!"

"Uh, yeah!"

(I wouldn't say I  _mastered_ it. Everyone still makes fun of my fish form. And how I still give myself bunny ears. And… anyway, not important.)

"You're just… so good! You have such a great goal to strive for. And I have nothing." Yuzu sighs. "Sometimes I feel like they only let me in through some mistake. I probably shouldn't be here if I can't even get one spell right…"

Akko tilts her head. "So you went through that super hard entrance exam just to go to the same school as  _me_? And you only spent one year studying?!"

Yuzu's cheeks puff up. "Y-Yes. Is there something weird about that?!"

"Yuzu, I spent  _years_ trying to get in! Ever since watching Chariot's show thirteen years ago! I spent more time studying for magic than I did for actual school! And even after I got in, it took me an entire  _year_ to get my feet off the ground on my broom!"

"I… same here. Wait, it took you that long to learn how to fly?"

Akko leans forward and holds onto Yuzu's shoulders. "Yuzu, you're amazing! If anything,  _you_ should teach me how you did it! Not everyone can study like you did!  _I_ definitely can't. And I have a workaholic as a girlfriend!"

"But- I can't even get a simple transformation spell right! Being booksmart doesn't help anyone!"

"Yes it does! It really does!" Akko huffs. "You're really good at Magic History, right?"

Yuzu nods tentatively in response. "I guess? It's interesting to learn about the long history that there is. I liked it even before you saved the world. It's a lot different in the perspective of the  _actual_ witches though."

"That's awesome! It takes a really strong mind to learn that stuff! Do you know how helpful it would've been if I had that interest and tenacity? I could've helped Diana so much with research last year instead of complaining all the time." Akko crosses her arms over her chest. "Point is, you're good at that. So you should give yourself a little more credit here. It means you're not an absolute dunce. That puts you  _way_ higher than I was as a first year!"

"But that doesn't mean I'm good at everything."

"No, not it doesn't. But that's okay. No one starts off perfect at everything. Maybe except Diana, but she doesn't count. And there are stuff she's horrible at. Did you know she doesn't have any idea how to use a blu ray recorder? And she's really bad at telling people things. But she's getting better! Not the blu ray thing; the opening up to people thing."

"I… see?"

"So it's okay if you're bad at one thing, or even everything! You can't give up though. Giving up means disappointing everyone, got it?!" Akko closes the distance between them, sticking face nose-to-nose with Yuzu's. "You can start by wowing me! Just doing that for now is fine. If you can keep working to that, then that means you can work toward anything! You only have to remember…"

"A believing heart is my magic?" Yuzu finishes meekly.

"Yep! Just remember those words, got it? It got me through a lot of rough patches. And adding the right support, I'm sure you'll be just fine. You got me, after all!"

Yuzu prepares to reply, only to remain silent as she ponders what Akko just said. She stays silent for so long that Akko starts to wonder if she scared the first year.

Finally, Yuzu whispers a simple reply. "Thanks, Akko-senpai. You really are amazing."

"Heh. I'll really believe that if you tell everyone else that the next time you see them." Akko puffs out her chest. "Rub it in Amanda's face that I  _can_ help people with studying!"

Yuzu giggles. "I guess we should continue with the study session, right? We already spent a lot of time talking instead of actually practicing."

Akko hops onto her feet and holds out her hand. "That's the right idea! You ready to keep going?"

Yuzu nods, her purple eyes brightening with determination. She takes Akko's offered hand in a strong grip and pulls herself up onto her feet. Once she's ready, Yuzu brandishes her wand once more.

"I'll make sure to wow you, Akko-senpai! Just watch me!"

* * *

( … Ah, have I returned to this place?)

Diana relishes as the grass cools her bare feet. Once the area beneath her warms, Diana lets her legs take her wherever they please. She glances past the small patches of white on the ground, being careful to avoid disrupting the snow.

Is this a dream? Or is this truly her inner world? This is a question Diana cannot answer for certain. Fei Wong Reed had reassured her that she should not be able to enter her inner world now that the force pulling her in is gone. But this landscape is nearly identical to her inner world, to the point where Diana cannot tell them apart.

It doesn't matter. No matter which mindscape she is in, she will always find an intruder waiting for her.

Like every other time, she appears before Diana without warning. One moment Diana is alone, and the next a girl with a body of steel will appear before her, wearing identical clothes to whatever Diana wears now.

"Why do you never leave?" Diana demands.

The other girl's lips pull up into a sad smile. Her body creaks as she walks forward.

"I cannot leave; you know that," the other girl answers in her voice.

"The Curse should have been purged from my body as it should have never affected this portion of my soul," Diana argues.

"Ah, who said I am the manifestation of the Curse of Blades?" The girl of steel stops in front of Diana. "You should know who I truly am."

Diana shakes her head. "You are not wanted here."

"Oh? Then what does that mean for you? If you do not want yourself here, then what will you do?"

"You are not me."

A hand wraps around the collar of her nightgown, the steel tearing through the fabric like paper. The other Diana leans in close, dragging her face to face and pressing her fist of steel against her skin.

Warm liquid trails down her chest. But all Diana can see is the bloodshot, dead eyes of her other self, reflecting the same eyes that she cannot bear to look at whenever she uses a mirror.

"This  _fake_  may be a new body, but you will never escape this curse. Not as long as you live. Not as long as you  _remember_. Not as long as you  _fear_. Not as long as you  _regret_."

The other Diana pulls back her right arm. And like every other time, plunges her arm of steel through Diana's chest.

* * *

Diana gasps awake, immediately throwing off her covers and slapping a hand to her chest. She digs her nails into her chest, marring her pale skin with bright red crescents. She increases the pressure until enough pain grounds her consciousness to reality. Only when she is certain that there is no hole in her chest does she begin to calm her breathing.

Hannah and Barbara continue to sleep.

Another night, another dream. Another reminder that Diana may be free from the Curse of Blades, but not from her own demons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow even the chapter titled 'Sunny Days' doesn't end happy. I'm starting to wonder if I'm okay LOL
> 
> Making fun of the difference between Akko and Diana's clothing sizes never gets old XD Sasuga white people genes.
> 
> So do I actually ship SuLotte & HanBara or HaManda & BarLotte (are these even the ship names)? The world may never know. Maybe they all just have messy crushes on each other LOL
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> Diana's inability to use a blu ray recorder is inspired by _Carnival Phantasm_ episode 4, where Rin is trying to record a show for Shirou using his blu ray recorder but falls into the cliche of "traditional magicians suck at modern technology." I don't think Diana is _that_ hopeless, but it's not surprising for her to not know how to use it if she's never had to.
> 
> To be honest, _I_ don't know how to use one either. Actually, I don't even know how to work a modern TV nowadays. I'm on my computer too much to care about TV.


	4. Act V.iii. Sense of Normality - Hollow_Ataraxia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which class is in session with an actual lecture (that isn't on the curriculum).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters in Act V. are pretty dialogue heavy. It was also supposed to be angst free. Woops.

(It's… this place again.)

Akko blinks. Once. Twice. Three times. Still, the scenery in front of her doesn't change. No matter how many times she rubs her eyes or slaps her face, she still sees the same dark space littered with small specks of distant, white stars.

(Okay. So I really am standing in space.)

Akko lifts her legs one at a time to test her footing. She's stood upon the Shooting Star once in space before, but that was while clothed in the blessing of the Nine Olde Witches (or so Ursula had said). Now, she's only wearing what she wore to sleep. Yet Akko is somehow still able to breathe and stay alive despite standing thousands of meters above Earth.

Akko lifts her hands in front of her, checking to see if all her fingers are in place.

(At least I can move more than just my fingers this time. They're… really achy though.)

A white light suddenly envelopes her entire world. Akko winces and holds up her arms to shield herself from the intensity. Her arms do nothing to hold back the light from consuming everything around her - including herself.

Akko focuses so much on her arms that she takes a wrong step back on the Shooting Star. She slips off the broom, screaming as she falls through the abyss. This time, the Shooting Star does not fly to her rescue. Only the darkness of space wraps around her, swallowing her cries as she falls into infinity.

She screams. Falling, falling falling. Falling with no end. Falling until-

* * *

-her back slams against the hardwood floor, limbs tangled in a heap of blankets again.

"Ow!" Akko cries awake.

Lotte and Sucy turn to her in surprise.

"Oh! Good morning, Akko!" Lotte greets.

"You're up early," Sucy says.

Akko groans, rubbing her sore back. "It's not like I woke up by choice! Man, I had that weird dream again."

"Weird dream?" Lotte frowns. She continues getting dressed as Akko sits up on the ground with her legs crossed. "Not the nightmares you've had before?"

"You know, I don't think I've had them in awhile. It's just this same one these past few days. I think I was in space and… standing on… a broom? I can't remember. It was really thin; I fell off of it and was falling for a long time."

"Sounds like that time you and Diana shot down the missile with the Shiny Rod," Sucy remarks, getting ready for the day herself.

"Could the broom have been the Shooting Star?" Lotte wonders.

"Maybe? I don't know. I'm already forgetting the dream. Must not be important if I already can't remember it."

"But you said you had it again. Reoccuring dreams aren't common."

"It'll be a problem if it happens so often that it's practically every day. Like what happened with Diana last year." Sucy continues to put her books in her bag. "If that starts to happen, your life is probably ruined."

Akko pouts. "I don't need anymore problems."

"You'll have less if you start getting ready now." Lotte checks the time. "We'll even get to see Diana and the others for breakfast if we hurry now."

Akko stands up and piles her blankets onto her bed. She doesn't bother to fold them up. "Yeah. I guess that dream will come back if it's that important. Maybe third time's the charm and I can remember more of it."

The three arrive at the dining hall for breakfast with at least thirty minutes before class. It may be a normal occurrence for the other students, but it's so rare for the red team - especially Akko - that Hannah and Barbara have to rub their eyes ten times before they realize Akko really is sitting at their table. Amanda even joins in a few minutes later, shocked that Akko is 1. actually in the dining hall for breakfast and 2. earlier than her.

Akko finally realizes that she has what people call a 'love-hate relationship' with her so-called friends.

But Akko forgets all of that when she laces her hands together with Diana's as they're walking out from the dining hall to their first class together. There will always be one person that Akko can count on to not tease her like the others do.

Not in the same way at least.

Today they all have their Summoning Rituals class together again. Its one of the few classes that doesn't bore Akko to death. Professor Norling has proven to be an interesting teacher that even keeps Amanda on her guard. Not to mention most of their grade doesn't rely on tests that Akko will inevitably cram for, but rather on the final project that they get the entire year to prepare for.

Hannah coughs into her fist, loud enough to pull Akko from her thoughts. "Hey, do you need Diana to be your mom or something? When are you going to let go of her hand?"

"What's wrong with holding hands?!" Akko growls. "This is basic girlfriend needs. If you're so jealous go get one yourself!"

Hannah sputters too much to provide a response herself. Diana steps in to help her roommate.

"Not that I disapprove of this, but Professor Norling will be entering the classroom soon." Diana gestures to her seat. "And I would like to take a seat before she reprimands us. Unfortunately, the gaps between seats are too large for us to continue holding hands without bringing attention to ourselves for the entire period."

Just as Diana says, the space between two seats are at least half a meter wide. Even if their armspans are long enough, it'll still be a nuisance to take notes with one hand preoccupied for the entire lecture.

Akko glares at their seats, willing the empty air to shrink so she doesn't have to let go of Diana. Unfortunately, Akko hasn't quite mastered the magic to manipulate space yet.

Akko's decision is made once Professor Norling announces her entrance by slamming the door shut. "Class will begin now! Miss Kagari, Miss Cavendish, please cease your lovesick dilly-dallying and take your seats. You can kiss or do whatever it is you children do nowadays after my class."

Amanda guffaws at the simultaneous flush on Akko and Diana's faces. The only other people who find it as amusing as Amanda does are Constanze and Sucy. The rest of the class offers the two lovebirds sympathetic smiles.

"And  _you_ are not allowed to laugh at them until you get a significant other yourself, Miss O'Neil," Norling says without looking up from her notes at the podium.

"Geh- Bueh?!"

Akko flops into her seat and covers her mouth to hold back a snicker. "H-Hold on, Amanda! I think you're going to need some ice for that burn!"

"Oh shut up."

Norling clears her throat. "Now, if the unruly children are done with their bickering, we will begin our class for today. Before we begin today's topic about choosing the correct catalyst for your summoning, does anyone have any preceding questions regarding any of the material?"

A girl near the middle of the classroom raises her hand.

"Ah, McKinley. Yes, what is your question?"

"Um… Professor Lovecraft mentioned that it  _is_ possible to summon Demons in our Demonology class. Except there was only one person has ever been successful. Could you tell us more about that?"

Norling contemplates the best response. The class is silent for half a minute before she finally replies, "I suppose I can afford to push the syllabus back a day. I don't want to give you a poor answer, so this is going to take a bit of time to explain. You can all put your books away for the day; this won't be on the exam. I better not catch any of you sleeping then."

Papers and books shuffle back into bookbags or onto the side of the table. The students then give their professor their full attention.

Norling sighs. "It's possible to summon Demons; I never said it was impossible. It is also true that in all of magic history, only one person has ever been able to successfully summon a Demon. That is a testament to how difficult - how impossible - it is to summon a Demon."

"Why is it so hard to summon a Demon compared to other magical creatures?" McKinley asks.

"That is due to two factors that we have discussed in class regarding summonings in general. Can you tell me what they are, Miss McKinley?"

"Um… the summoner's affinity to the creature they're trying to summon, as well as the type of creature?"

"Precisely. That does not change no matter what kind of spirit you are trying to summon. Now, the textbook definition of a Demon will satisfy the second criteria. They are categorized to be on a parallel tier to divine creatures like unicorns and the primordial dragons. Therefore, the summoning requires more refined catalysts that are difficult to obtain. That is following the second criteria you listed. Can anyone tell me what makes summoning a Demon difficult based on the first criteria? Hm, that might be too difficult. How about explaining what I mean by 'affinity' in the first place?"

The class is still. Then, a firm hand rises in the air to take on the challenge.

"Ah, Miss Cavendish."

Diana rises to give her answer. "The 'affinity' that you are referring to is how likely the spirit will answer the summoner's calls. The spirit will not appear if it does not deem the summoner worthy of its presence. That is why creatures of the higher tiers do not answer a summoning as often. Their pride will not allow them to bow to a summoner who they do not agree with."

Norling nods. "Right from the lecture. Yes, this is the 'affinity' criteria that goes hand-in-hand with the second criteria. What would anyone's guess be about a Demon's likelihood to answer a summoner's call? Yes, Miss Tran?"

"If they're on a similar tier to divine beasts, then wouldn't they be just as picky and not answer the summoning if their summoner wasn't worthy?" the girl answers.

"Yes and no. Demons aren't on the same tier as divine spirits. Rather, they're on a  _parallel_ tier. They stand on the same level, though on a different hierarchy. What's difficult about summoning them is getting the Demon to answer your summoning  _the way you want it to_. They actually have the exact opposite problem compared to divine spirits. Demons will answer your summons too  _readily_."

"Why is that?" another student asks.

Norling doesn't bother to scold the student for not raising her hand. "While divine beasts will ignore a summoner due to their pride, a Demon will answer as long as they can exploit any weakness in the summoner. As spirits from the underworld known as Hell, they thrive off of negative emotions. Things like fear, guilt, sin, lies; they crave and grow stronger from these feelings. It's inescapable; we all have it and have gone through at least one at some point in our lives. And that is what makes it impossible to escape from the Demon's grasp once they've answered your summons.

The problem isn't that there hasn't been more than one Demon summoned into the world at all. The problem is that there hasn't been more than one  _proper_ summoning. Many have tried despite the laws banning it. Do you know what happened to them?"

Silence. Not even Amanda can snark when the atmosphere feels like it is going to crush these young girls.

"Devoured. Overtaken. Destroyed. Gone mad. The Demon will take over their summoner and use their body to destroy all that they can before their own corrupted magical energy decays their container. And because a Demon is just a mass of evil energy, they require a container to sustain themselves for more than a second in the material world. Therefore, their first choice will usually be the summoner themselves."

"If Demons are so hungry for weakness that they'll devour the human who summons them at once, why does history note that there is still one person who's been able to do so successfully?"

Norling sighs. "Who knows? Perhaps that woman was a monster in the first place. But history is not wrong. After all, this account was documented by the Nine Olde Witches themselves."

"The Nine Olde Witches?" The girls gasp. "It goes so far long ago?"

"During her life as a human, this woman was known as Goetia of the original Nine Olde Witches. After she summoned her Demon, she became known as the Demon Witch and the Witch of Corruption. This infamous witch is the only witch - no, the only spellcaster in general - to summon a demon successfully and use the powers of the demon for her own benefit."

Diana freezes. Her eyes stare straight ahead. But she is no longer looking at Professor Norling and the rest of the class. In fact it's as if she isn't in the classroom anymore.

The fingers of her right hand twitch.

Akko notices the movement next to her. "Diana?"

"She was one of the original Nine Olde Witches?" McKinley asks.

Norling nods. "Before Jennifer joined the other eight to make up the group we now know as the Nine Olde Witches, Goetia was the original ninth member. She was apparently a witch who specialized in Soul Thaumaturgy, researching and discovering more about the soul than we know now to this day. She never considered other spellcasters to be worthy of her knowledge. She kept it all to herself and never passed her knowledge down after her.

She hated how the other eight Olde Witches were so open with their magic. She believed their supreme magic should be reserved to only of the best. Though her criteria might have been a bit too strict. Goetia didn't even think the other eight were good enough for her.

But that was not enough for herself. She sought more power. She did not think what she had was enough. And because what was available was not enough for her, Goetia turned to the forbidden; she mastered all sorts of Dark Magic throughout her quest for power. When even all of that was learned, Goetia sought to control  _all_ of magic. Not only could she have access to all the power she needs, but she could also limit who could use magic; only those she deemed worthy could call themselves spellcasters. What do you think she sought to control if she wanted to make this come true?"

McKinley frowns. "A great source of magic… that would have to be the Yggdrasil, wouldn't it? But how can one witch control such a vast and great power?"

"You're right; they can't. Not as a human anyway. And Goetia knew this. Therefore, she sought to make a contract with a spirit who would  _make_  her into something that could take in all that much energy. She knew that a normal divine spirit would never answer her call for such a selfish reason. And so, she turned to the impossible. She summoned a Demon for herself."

"And she lived?"

"Unbelievable, isn't it? Not much is known about the details of her summoning. But the other Olde Witches recounted that Goetia was past the point of saving by the time she became the Demon Witch."

McKinley shakes her head. "That makes no sense. What makes Goetia so special? How did she live?"

"Good question. What was so different about that woman that she - while every other person died - did the impossible and survived a Demon taking over her body? Not only did she survive, but she even had the power to establish a Contract with the Demon. Goetia had access to the ability to do everything a human could not, all in exchange for her body and loyalty to the demon for eternity.

So what was so different about her? Her greed? Her pride? Her wrath? Her sins? Her entire character? Who knows? But she is the only one who succeeded. And perhaps the only one alive who can tell the tale."

At this point, all of the green, red, and blue teams have shifted their eyes to glance at Diana and Akko from their periphery. Diana's white-knuckle grip is so tight that she could probably break her quill in half if she was holding it.

A student by the corner slams her hands on the table. "Wait, the Demon Witch is alive?!"

"Oh yes, alive and quite well actually. The Nine Olde Witches, even after Jennifer filled the missing ninth spot, couldn't defeat her after Goetia contaminated all of magic and stole their source of power. All they could do was seal her within the Arcturus Forest until another solution could be found. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can destroy such a great mass of evil. Time has only darkened its powers, not weaken it."

Amanda especially keeps her gaze on Diana. Norling's account is almost exactly the same as what Diana told them more than half a year ago.

Right before Diana herself apparently confronted the sealed Witch of Corruption.

"Is that… safe?" McKinley asks.

"In theory and so far? Yes. In the long term? Probably not. There are still a few witches trying to find a way to permanently destroy Goetia. However, most of that research was put on hold since magic started to decline; they were more concerned with reviving magic than putting an old hag to rest. Though I heard there's a renewed research into this since the previous Minister of Magic tried to release the seal on the Demon Witch."

"Will we have to worry about the Demon Witch at all?" McKinley looks down. "She doesn't sound like someone who'll like ordinary witches like us."

Diana digs her nails into her palm. Her entire left side has already gone numb. The sounds of the discussion no longer pass through her ears. All she can hear is a deep rumbling and a shrill voice screaming for release and vengeance. Her lungs seize, as if her body is afraid to perform its natural functions due to the anticipation of grating steel which should no longer be present.

She can't- she can't move. Think. Breathe. Do.

Akko can't tell if this is Diana's own way of panicking. But the more she sees Diana dissociate from the world and wander into a place she cannot follow, the more Akko wants to stand up and shake Diana awake herself. Given how white Diana has gone, Akko is about five seconds away from doing just that.

"Oh, she'd hate just about everyone. That much is true. But don't worry. As long as no one completely removes the seal on her, she'll stay stuck in that binding of hers for the rest of her life. It's one of the reasons why the Arcturus Forest is forbidden."

"Oh-"

"Sucy what the heck?!"

Akko's shout pulls everyone's attention toward the center where the red, green, and blue teams are sitting and staring at the new atrocity.

Sucy's upraised hand holds an empty vial stuck in a position that explains why Diana's hands are unexpectedly covered in some kind of smelly, purple concoction. Akko stands out of her seat fuming, the others balk at Sucy's audacity, and Diana can only keep staring at her hands.

Despite Akko's anger and the strangeness of the situation, Sucy simply asks, "Professor, can Diana be excused to clean herself?"

Norling groans. "Miss Manbavaran, what did I say about dangerous potions in my class?! Anyway, yes, yes please get Miss Cavendish out of my classroom before she loses her hands or something."

Sucy rolls up into a standing position and taps Diana in the shoulder. Normally Diana would remove the disaster herself, but the situation makes it impossible for her to do so herself with her hands currently covered in the mess. Without many other choices, Diana stands up and follows Sucy out of the classroom, leaving her startled teammates and a fuming Akko behind.

"What was that all about?!" Akko shouts.

"Miss Kagari, please remember that we are still in class!" Norling scolds. "In any case, I suppose I have gone on long enough about that crazy witch. Let's move on to other topics that  _aren't_ as ominous or depressing."

* * *

Diana and Sucy remain silent as Sucy cleans the purple liquid from Diana's hands. The cleaning and detoxification takes less than ten minutes to do. As expected from the person who created the potion in the first place. All Sucy needed are her supplies from her room.

"Was there a reason why this is necessary in the first place?" Diana asks.

"Well, you can leave the potion on your hands and let it soak through your skin. Not sure how long you'll be able to use them though."

"That is not what I meant."

Sucy raises an eyebrow. "You have to be more specific or I won't know what you're trying to say."

"Your seat was two away from mine. Both Akko and Lotte were between us both. Yet you aimed the potion straight for my hands. I doubt that was a coincidence."

"Can't help it if your panic attack and Akko's pathetic flailing was distracting me from the lecture."

Diana frowns. "My panic attack? Akko's… flailing?"

"You must have trailed pretty far if you didn't even notice Akko hovering over you and trying to calm you down."

"I did not go anywhere."

Sucy closes her first aid kit. "Maybe not physically, but you definitely weren't mentally in the classroom anymore. Having flashbacks still?"

Numbness. Steel. Destruction. Screaming. Fate.

Sucy stares at Diana with her usual blank expression. If Diana had been herself, she would have noticed the flash of sympathy behind Sucy's gaze.

"Guess that answers that."

"I…" Diana covers her face with her hands. "I may not have recovered as much as I thought."

"You're Diana, but even you're not perfect. I get that now. We all understand that now. It's like you're the only one who doesn't understand that."

"I never presumed I was perfect."

"Maybe not consciously, but you definitely hold yourself to that standard. And all that's going to do is hurt yourself and the people who actually care about you." Sucy packs away her first aid kit and stares Diana in the eyes. "It's amazing how much Akko can keep crying. As expected of Akko, I guess."

"I never thought you would be so open with your concern for Akko."

"I can't sleep if she keeps sniffling and whining like a kicked puppy."

When Diana doesn't immediately reply, Sucy turns to her and catches the other girl's eyes lose their focus for a moment. The silence of the room allows her to catch a familiar vibration that she has learned to ignore. Whatever problems weigh on Diana Cavendish are not her business to pry.

"Does she still have them? The nightmares?" Diana asks after reorienting herself.

Sucy switches her attention away from Diana back to the current topic about Akko. She answers, "Sometimes, not always. She doesn't cry your name as often if that's what you're asking."

Diana sighs. "That is not my main concern, though it is reassuring to some extent."

"Are you still having yours?"

The question startles her. "My nightmares? How did you know…?"

"It's impossible not to talk about roommates when they care. And yours actually care for you." Sucy points to her head. "Even if they didn't, I have eyes and a brain."

"There is nothing wrong." When Sucy continues to give her the same deadpan stare, Diana adds, "That much is true. I understand the trauma requires time to recover from. Ophelia's remedies can only do so much to help with the stress. Especially when I am reminded of the incident." Diana shakes her head. "I am more concerned with Akko. If you are saying she is still having nightmares…"

"If you say you're fine, then Akko is probably fine too. Though, that really depends on what your definition of 'fine' is."

"Do you think I am lying?"

"No. But I also don't think you're telling the truth."

Diana frowns. "That is a contradiction."

"You and Akko are both stupidly stubborn, but there's only so far that this facade can go. Ask any of the others. As people standing in the third party, we'll all say the same thing." Sucy walks to the bedroom door to head back to class. "You're going to break. And even I won't be laughing when that happens."

The ominous statement heightens the screaming in her subconsciousness. But if Diana acknowledges the darkness hidden away, then it truly will break from its flimsy chains.

"I appreciate the assistance." Diana says, following Sucy out the room. "I do not only mean cleaning the potion."

"I know." Sucy locks the door. "You owe me a mushroom."

* * *

"WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT FOR?!" Akko yells as soon as she has the opportunity.

"And a pair of selective earplugs," Sucy grumbles to Diana.

"Will a silencing spell suffice?"

"Anything to stop her from destroying my eardrums."

Diana places a hand on Akko's shoulder to stop her from prying Sucy's chest open to check for a heart. "It was an accident, Akko. Sucy has already apologized as she was cleaning the potion."

That is a blatant lie and everyone knows it. Not that either Sucy or Diana will admit what the actual topic of their decision was.

"No amount of sorry will explain how your potion just  _happened_ to projectile fly two seats into Diana!"

Hannah and Barbara step forward with their arms crossed.

"You know, the dunce is right. That could've ended bad for Diana and you're not even sorry?!" Hannah says.

"Was there any specific reason that you had to do that?" Barbara asks. Her words may be chosen with less malice, but that doesn't mean she is any less angry.

Sucy settles for a half-truth. "Anything to get out of that oppressing lecture."

"You could've picked Akko!"

"Yeah! Why'd you have to endanger Diana?!" Akko pauses. "Wait, I don't want to be the substitute! Why do I have to risk my life?! Why does anyone have to get potion spilled on them in the first place?!"

"Why do all of you assume all of my potions are deadly?" Sucy asks.

"Because 95% of them  _are_ ," Akko, Hannah, and Barbara reply simultaneously.

Lotte holds up placating hands. "Well, everything is okay in the end, right? I'm sure Diana and Sucy worked out… whatever needed to be said. Since Diana isn't mad, I don't think you three should be either."

"You're really not mad?" Barbara asks.

"Sucy has her own reasons for her actions. As unorthodox as they are, I do not see a reason to linger on this anymore than we already have. Especially considering that no harm has come to anyone," Diana replies. "More importantly, what did Professor Norling discuss after Sucy and I left the classroom?"

"Nothing much. Things got pretty boring after you guys left," Amanda says. "She started talking about catalysts for Demons and how all of them are hidden in remote parts of the world that normal humans would die if they tried going to. It was basically a big 'DO NOT DO THIS' lecture."

"We took some notes for you if you want them," Barbara says. She pulls out her notebook from her bookbag and passes it to Diana.

Hannah does the same. "They're not as detailed as the ones you take. But these are the highlights of what she went over."

"Why do you even need notes for a topic the professor clearly said she isn't going to test us on?" Amanda wonders as Diana takes the notebooks. "Now that's just overachieving."

Hannah scoffs. "Hey, better having more notes than having none at all.  _She's_ not doing poorly in any of her classes."

"And I know how to have fun and live my life. Wayyy better than having a stick up my ass. Maybe you guys should try it."

"Maybe you'd like a wand up  _your_ -"

Diana sighs. "Girls, please. No one is sticking anything up anyone's… I refuse to finish that sentence."

"I change my mind. I want a silencing spell that works on everyone," Sucy says.

Akko turns her glare away from Sucy. "Speaking of notes, does anyone have any for History of Western Magic? I didn't get to take any good ones for the last few lectures."

"Don't you mean you slept through all of the lectures?" Barbara asks.

Akko groans. "It's not my fault! The class is just so boring! It's even worse than normal Magic History. What am I supposed to do if the boring classes make for good lullabies?"

Diana looks at Akko in concern. "Akko…"

"Why even ask us? It's 1000% that Diana has notes to every class for every lecture," Amanda says.

"And the best notes," Hannah adds.

Amanda rolls her eyes. "And you don't even have to ask. Just flash her those puppy dog eyes and she'll be throwing her notebooks at you."

"I most certainly would not," Diana protests.

Akko flashes her aforementioned puppy dog eyes. "Really?"

"…"

Nevertheless, Diana reaches into her bookbag and pulls out her History of Western Magic notebook for Akko.

Amanda throws her head back in glee. "Man, you two are gross. It's a happy gross, which is better than nothing, but still gross."

Akko prepares to shove the notebook in her own bag before realizing that it isn't her belonging and should treat it with care. She places it in her bag with care before replying to Amanda, "Are you going to keep finding new things and make fun of me for the rest of my life?"

Amanda puffs up her chest with a smug grin. "Even when you're an old grandma. And don't worry; I'll put in some extra effort on your wedding day. Just for you two."

Akko spits out her food while Diana's loose fingers drop her cup. Thankfully, the person sitting across from Akko is Amanda herself who foresaw the reaction and knew to move to the side at the right moment.

Diana regains her composure first. "A… wedding is too soon to speak about. There are higher priorities!"

Akko nods fervently beside her.

(A wedding with Diana… Man, if she looked that great in her blue dress at Andrew's party, I wonder how she'd look in a white wedding dre-)

Akko's mind screeches to a halt.

(NO NO NONONONONONONO THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE YOU'RE NOT HELPING YOURSELF!!!)

"Any-Anyway! Are you free tonight, Diana? Wouldn't it be nice to have another study session? You know, so you can help me with stuff and I can uh… try to help you with… stuff."

"Just because there are people here doesn't mean you need to pull your tongue out trying to lie," Sucy says. "Just say you want to spend time alone with Diana and be done with it."

"I'm trying to make it less awkward," Akko grumbles.

Amanda pats Akko on the back. "Come on! Nothing wrong with wanting some alone time with the bae."

"You're the one who keeps making fun of me about that."

"And I am not gonna stop anytime soon."

Diana clears her throat. "In any case, I believe a study session would be beneficial to us both. How are you doing in Medicinal Magic?"

Akko blanches. "Ehhh… not so well. Just barely a little better than History of Western Magic."

"You should've known what you were signing up for," Barbara says. "Everyone knows that elective is a high level class."

"Not like it stopped Akko before," Sucy says.

"Hey! I knew what I was getting myself into this time." Akko huffs. "I thought it'd be one of the more useful classes to take, you know? In case I get into another situation where I need more healing spells. I can't rely on Diana forever!"

"More like learn how to save your girlfriend if she's ever on the verge of death again."

"And to take a class with the Banana Princess herself," Amanda snickers.

Instead of acknowledging the truth of Amanda's last statement and how it's making her heart beat slightly faster, Diana asks, "How long are you going to use that ridiculous nickname?"

Amanda shrugs. "Until I hear a better one. This one's pretty good though. Not sure if anything can top that."

Diana puts the topic to the side. "It seems we have a study session tonight. The usual time and place?"

Akko nods. "The library after dinner. Sounds good!"

"Akko, didn't you also agree to help Yuzu with her studies tonight?" Lotte asks.

Whatever happiness was present previously is shattered by that one sentence.

Akko groans. "Ahhhh! I forgot about that! Darn it!!!"

Diana doesn't seem to be too displeased at least. "We can always reschedule to another day."

"No! I wanna have both!"

"There Akko goes being selfish again," Sucy drawls.

"It's fine, isn't it? Diana can help me with my stuff, and I can help Yuzu. It's book studying stuff anyway. So if anything, Diana can help with some memorization tips or something. Is that okay?"

Diana smiles. "I suppose that works. I am rather curious how you tutor your protege."

"Probably a disaster," Amanda mutters.

"Not even!" Akko retorts. "Didn't you hear Yuzu a few days ago? I got her on her feet just fine!"

"Yeah, that was one time. I'll really believe the dunce of Luna Nova can be a great teacher when you give me some more results."

"I can because I'm not the dunce!  _You're_  the dunce, Amanda!"

"Hah?!"

"Why do you two always have to default back to this argument?!" Barbara shouts.

Hannah shrugs. "Give it up, Barbara. You can't change the minds of idiots."

Amanda snorts. "And you can't change how a-"

Having enough, Constanze slaps her sign across Amanda's face to prevent her from saying anymore. Everyone stares at Constanze, then to Amanda unconscious on the table, then back to Constanze.

Constanze writes, "Just finish your lunch so we can go to class already. You guys talk too much."

* * *

The rest of their classes proceed as they usually do with their typical boring lectures (at least to Akko). The main thing getting her through the day up to dinner is the impromptu study session later in the night with Diana and Yuzu. Her elation gradually increases throughout the day until she's practically shoveling her meal into her mouth by the end classes during dinner.

And then Akko deflates in an instant when Diana comes up to her to say she needs to leave for a quick meeting.

"Yikes. Got cockblocked by a professor." Amanda pats Akko on the back with sympathy after the Cavendish heiress finishes her dinner and leaves.

Hannah slaps Akko's other shoulder. "Stop whining like a kicked puppy. It's making me feel bad for you. It's not like Diana said she had to miss it  _completely_. She's just arriving a bit later."

"Isn't that better for you, too? That way you can get some  _actual_ tutoring for Yuzu before you and Diana just have a staring contest all night," Barbara says.

Akko glares at Hannah and Barbara. "You two don't know how it feels to want to spend time with Diana with so little chances! You two live with her! How lucky!"

Hannah rolls her eyes. "Since when did you get so clingy? You practically changed all of our seating arrangements just so you two can sit next to each other in every class you can."

"Not to mention taking  _Healing Magic_ of all classes just so you can be with Diana more," Barbara says.

Akko huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. "Isn't this a normal thing for people in a relationship? What's wrong with wanting to spend all my time with my most important person."

Hannah slaps her face. "This is gross. Someone please explain to the dunce why she needs to reevaluate herself."

"Can you stop calling me tha-?!"

Lotte - bless her pure soul - steps in as the voice of reason. "What Hannah and Barbara mean is that you're pushing yourself too much."

Akko's anger depletes from Lotte's calm voice. "Huh? What does that mean?"

"Akko, do you even know how to be a girlfriend? Hell, do you  _or_ Diana know how a relationship works?" Amanda wonders.

"Uh, you just spend all your time with your most important person and make sure they're loved and stuff, right?"

"That's obsessing over something. It's probably fine in a different situation. But this is a living, breathing human. Humans need to be treated a different way from objects," Sucy drawls.

"If you spend too much time toward only one thing, eventually you won't be able to enjoy it as much anymore," Jasminka adds.

Akko's gaze moves across her friends around the table. There are the expected expressions of exasperation, especially from Hannah and Barbara. But there is also an underlying sense of concern and pity that Akko can even see hiding behind Sucy's eyes.

Akko shakes her head. "But if you love someone, shouldn't you make sure that other person knows that?"

"You don't have to  _keep_ showering affection," Barbara says. "I know Diana doesn't have the most loving household, but that doesn't mean she needs someone to smother her to make up for the missing ten years or so."

"What if she's actually lonely?" Akko clenches her fists. "I can't imagine what it'd be like to not have my parents as I grew up. They always supported me… But both of Diana's parents… And then when Diana got the chance to see her dad, it had to be as he's causing her problems!"

Hannah sighs. "It sucked. We haven't known Diana the entire time, but we do know how she copes to forget about that loneliness. We've been with her the longest, you know?"

"So we can safely say that it's okay now," Barbara says. "Thanks to you. She's okay now thanks to you."

Akko blinks. "Really?"

Amanda's jaw drops. "Did you two just thank  _Akko_?"

"Shut up and let me finish." Hannah huffs. "Diana doesn't throw herself into her studies until the dead of night anymore. I mean, she still stays up, but she at least tries to sleep at a decent time."

Barbara adds, "She takes the time to go out and spend time with us, with all of us. And sometimes… sometimes Diana has this really sweet smile. It's not often, and it's definitely not something as big and obnoxious as Akko's, but sometimes she does that when she doesn't think anyone is looking."

Hannah scoffs. "But we live with her in the same room. Just because there's a bookshelf doesn't mean it's a completely different room."

"It's a kind of smile she doesn't show very often. But it's come up more ever since you brought her back to Luna Nova." Barbara nods to Akko. "So I think you've done enough to fill the emptiness after her parents. So thanks."

Akko's fingers uncurl from her tight fists. "So Diana's… happy? She's really okay?"

Barbara sighs. "Do we really have to repeat that again just so you understand?!"

Amanda smirks and drapes an arm over Akko's shoulders. "Come on, Akko. Ask for that explanation again. You don't get to see these two bow their heads to us that often."

"This isn't even directed to you," Hannah says.

"Akko, don't you have somewhere to be?" Jasminka asks.

Stanbot comes onto the table in front of where Akko's sitting and shows her the current time on its eyes.

Akko shoots out of her seat. "AH! I forgot!!!"

"Don't keep your student waiting~" Amanda teases as Akko gathers her things.

"She's not my student! I'm just helping her out!" Akko retorts.

"Have fun on your date!"

"It's not a date!" Akko pauses. "Actually, is it? When was the last time we went on a-?"

"JUST  _GO_!" everyone shouts.

* * *

Diana stands in front of the door to Professor Norling's office. Her hand raises to knock. Before the back of her knuckles can touch wood, her raised hand spasms.

She frowns at the limb, lowering it to eye level and testing the muscles. Despite the fluidity of her movements, Diana can't shake the tension from her hand.

The hallway is silent. She is the only one present. With every blink of her eyes, Diana will clench her fist in tandem. She does this a few times to relieve the tightness from her limbs. There should be nothing wrong with her body- Sophia Pavlova had made certain of this. Yet, it is still difficult for her to freely move her body at times.

 _Griiiiiiiiiiiiiiink_.

Diana's breath catches in her throat. For a second her lungs constrict. If she takes a breath the steel will pierce her organs and shred her insides-

Wrong. That's wrong. That won't happen anymore. That  _shouldn't_ happen anymore.

Diana straightens her breath, lowering her fists to the side of her body. Very carefully, she takes a small inhale.

There is no pain. Her muscles are still tense, but there is nothing she can do about that for now. She's wasted enough time as is.

Diana calms herself before raising her fist again. She knocks twice on the door. She takes her cue to enter once she hears Norling answer from the other side. The first thing she does is accidentally step on a few pieces of papers on the floor.

Norling stops whatever she is doing. With her back to Diana, she says, "Ah, you can ignore all of that. I didn't have the time to tidy up before our meeting."

Diana nods. She carefully manuevors around the papers as she closes the door to the room. "You wished to see me, Professor?"

Norling rotates around in her seat. She fixes her ponytail by pulling the rubber band with one hand while the other holds her hair in place. "Ah, Miss Cavendish. You can take a seat anywhere. I just wanted to chat for a bit. It won't be for long; I know you mentioned existing plans for the night."

"It isn't any trouble."

Norling waves a hand. "Dates are important for you kids, right? I wouldn't want to get in the way of young love."

Diana's eyes widen. She does her best to keep her cheeks from burning too much. "I- My studies at Luna Nova remain my top priority."

"Ah, don't let Miss Kagari hear that. You might actually upset her. I think that's what partners get upset about. I wouldn't know; I'm still proudly single. Anyway, would you care for some tea?"

Diana sighs. "Yes, tea would be lovely."

Norling searches through her shelves. "I don't have that much of a variety to choose from. If you want, I can brew some of Ophelia's remedy for you to drink?"

"That won't be necessary. I had a cup during dinner." Diana pauses. "Professor Norling, how do you know about that?"

"Hm? I asked her about it."

Diana's eyes follow Norling's wand as she lights a fire to heat up a pot of water.

"Why did you ask her?"

"It came up in our conversation when I asked her about you," Norling replies without turning away from the tea. "She said it was to help with some of the anxiety and PTSD from the past year. All of a sudden, your reaction during class today made quite a bit of sense."

Diana's hands clench on her lap. "You noticed as well?"

"People don't give Miss Manbavaran enough credit. She's certainly mischievous and rather mysterious, but that just means she has more opportunity to observe others without hindrance. I have to say, I'm a bit ashamed for not stopping myself sooner. Sometimes I just get so into an interesting topic that I disregard all else."

Once the water boils, Norling puts away her wand and finishes preparing the tea. She places all of the pots, cups, saucers, and condiments on a tray and brings it over to the table near their seats. Norling sweeps away the mess of papers on her desk to set the tray down.

Diana frowns as the papers simply fall to the ground. The number of diagrams for all sorts of summoning rituals in this one room is unbelievable. They cover so much of the room that Diana wonders if Norling is just a messy person or if it is a deliberate decoration choice as Norling's actual wallpaper.

Norling sits down in her own chair and hands Diana a cup and saucer. "It's just Earl Grey; I don't like anything else. You want anything with that?"

Diana accepts the tea. "No, thank you. Earl Grey is fine."

Norling takes a sip of her tea while watching Diana do the same from the top of her cup.

"Is there anything else? Anything else that may…" Norling contemplates the right wording, "trigger the attacks?"

Diana calmly sets the cup down on her saucer and considers the question for a moment. She allows her fingers to run over the smooth porcelain, savoring the texture of the object under her skin. "I am not entirely sure. Sometimes none of the usual triggers upset me. Other times…"

"You overreact. You go back to the dark place and you can't escape unless someone - or something - drags you out?"

Diana watches the liquid still in her cup. Her hands continue to rub the cup. "At times, yes."

Norling leans forward in her seat. "I don't have any firsthand experience with any of this, only second hand accounts. So if there's anything that you need, be it a few minutes outside of class or for us to refrain from saying or doing certain things, just let me and the other professors know. And don't say that it isn't necessary," Norling adds when Diana prepares to protest. "None of us know what you saw in that forest. None of us know what you  _did_ in that forest. I am inclined to believe that even Miss Kagari doesn't know the full story. You don't seem like the type to share much if it means worrying others."

Diana's eyes shift to the side. Her movements still. "I understand the necessity to be more open with them, especially to Akko. However, I cannot burden them with this particular topic. Not when Akko has her own fears that haunt her."

"As true as that may be, you appear to be choosing the wrong things to keep to yourself."

"Pardon my forwardness, but I do not believe that is for you to decide, Professor."

Norling places her cup and saucer on her table. "Maybe. But maybe this isn't your burden to shoulder either. Whatever it is that you're keeping locked up inside yourself."

"That is-"

Diana holds in a gasp as Norling leans forward and covers Diana's eyes with one hand. Diana's body tenses and stills. Norling does not make a move either.

Despite the sudden movement, Diana does not feel a threat from the woman in front of her. In fact, she feels a strange sense of warm comfort spread throughout her, relaxing her tense muscles.

"Professor…?"

Norling shakes her head. "Geez, you remind me so much of those two. A near-splitting image to your mother, all the way down to the roots of that ridiculously perfect blonde hair." Norling removes her hand from Diana's face. "But your eyes. Ah, you truly have your father's eyes. The eyes of someone who took on burdens much too heavy for a single person to handle. Someone who lies to themselves as a reassurance; to tell themselves that they are not as weak as they actually are. At least your mother was more reasonable, though not by much."

Diana frowns. "You know of my parents?"

Norling leans back and picks up her tea to take another sip. "Who doesn't know of Bernadette Cavendish? But yes, I knew of them. I often accompanied my mentor whenever she visited your mother in her younger years. After Bernadette and Arthur began courting, it was hard to find them  _not_ together." The porcelain cup clacks against its saucer. "I thought I'd never have to see those aggravating eyes in anyone else. I suppose you truly are their daughter."

Diana has no reply to that.

Norling sighs. "Enough of that. I didn't call you hear to discuss your parents. Just remember to speak up so we may prevent what happened in class this morning from occurring in the future. Now, I believe you have somewhere you need to be?"

Diana nods and stands. She passes Norling her unfinished cup of tea.

"Thank you for your consideration, Professor Norling. I will be sure to inform you in the future."

Diana makes her way to the door. Before she opens the door, she pauses by the exit and asks, "Professor Norling, may I ask one final question?"

"What is it?"

A beat of silence.

"Did my mother ever notice the fatigue present in my father's eyes? The weariness you spoke of earlier?"

Norling's lips pull up into a sad smile that Diana cannot see with her back turned to her. "Of course. How could she not recognize it? Your mother tried her hardest to purge that from your father, all the way to her last breath. In the end, perhaps she is the one with burdens so great that none of us could ever hope to fathom."

Diana's hand encloses around the handle. "Thank you, Professor Norling."

Norling watches as Diana leaves the room. Only until she can no longer hear the girl's receding footsteps does she put down her tea and stand to tidy things up.

"What do you need at this hour, Lovecraft?"

The hidden witch sheds her cloaking spell to reveal her location in one far corner of the room. It is close enough for the woman to listen to their conversation, but not enough for Diana to notice a strange presence.

"Nothing, nothing. Just curious about  _the_  Diana Cavendish that Finneran always praises so much. She needs more experience if she couldn't even notice me in the room."

"Are you really comparing yourself to a girl half your age?"

Lovecraft hums. "I guess that's not fair."

"Is that all you hid in my room for? To spy on an eighteen year old girl?" Norling glares disdainfully at the other woman's trailing black hair. "I suppose your Rapunzel-length hair works wonders as a broom."

Lovecraft parts her black, curtain hair but keeps her eyes closed. "This is why I hate talking to you. All you ever do is make fun of my hair. But no, the spying was just a bonus."

"So you admit to eavesdropping."

Lovecraft ignores that comment. "To be honest, I was following a scent of death and happened to find it in your room."

Norling frowns. "A scent of death? From Diana Cavendish you mean?"

"Don't look at me like that. I don't mean that the Grim Reaper is going to cut off her head at any moment. Rather, it's the fact that the Reaper hasn't released her at all."

"You need to speak like a normal person for me to understand you. Do not talk to the average person as if you are trying to decipher demonic text."

"Diana Cavendish nearly died in the Arcturus Forest more than half a year ago, didn't she? No, that's wrong. She  _did_ die and by some miracle was revived."

"Yes, I've heard that story in passing. Even if the Ministry does a poor job of lying to cover it."

"Whatever methods revived her was truly a miracle. But that isn't enough to return things completely back to normal. Her life isn't tethered to this world as strong as it should be  _because_ she's died once."

Norling's eyes widen. "You mean…"

"There's a high possibility that Miss Cavendish herself knows this. Maybe that's one reason why her nightmares continue to plague her. Even if she tries to move on, she can't completely if there's something always reminding her of them."

"Then what?"

Lovecraft shrugs. "That isn't my area of expertise. She'll figure it out on her own. I'm sure the Pavlova and the Fei heads know of this and are attempting to find an answer already. I would worry more about Miss Kagari then Miss Cavendish."

"What about her?"

"You mentioned Diana Cavendish's eyes just now. But have you not noticed the same in Atsuko Kagari's? Not only is she haunted by similar trauma, but she herself and everyone else doesn't know because she's trying to push it to the side so well." Lovecraft twirls a strand of her hair. "If Diana Cavendish is slowly being crushed by an invisible stone, then Atsuko Kagari is batting against a wrecking ball that strikes back with double the force of whatever she strikes away."

"And you can tell?"

"Demons come from various forms and origins, Norling. They don't have to be spirits from Hell. Why do you think they feed off of negative emotions so well?"

"And you and I will do nothing about this as well?"

"We have no business. Judging from your conversation just now, I'm guessing those two will only listen to each other whenever they decide to open up. It's a matter of when, not who." Lovecraft's eyes trail to the door. "It's like you said. None of us know what happened in that forest, or what those girls did. They can only help each other. We've said all we can at this point."

Norling puts the tray down and looks toward the shut door. "If only they do it sooner, rather than later."

"Before one - or both of them - break beyond repair."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear Act V was supposed to be happy…
> 
> As a reminder: Norling is the professor for Summoning Rituals while Lovecraft is the professor for Demonology. The LWA databook lists Summoning Rituals as a required course for third and fourth years, while Demonology is one of the possible electives that third and fourth years can take.
> 
> Initially the Norling and Diana conversation didn't happen at all. But I can't deny that her impromptu lecture during her class _did_ trigger Diana to the point that Sucy had to bail her out. The Luna Nova profs aren't complete incompetents, so I just wanted to acknowledge that something as serious as that panic attack needs to be addressed by an adult.
> 
> The designs for both Norling and Lovecraft are based on existing, nameless professors from the LWA databook. No, they are not important OCs. I think.
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> The word "ataraxia" in the chapter title is a Greek term for "tranquility", giving the title the combined meaning of "empty (or false) tranquility." The phrase shares the same naming convention as the title of the visual novel that serves as a sequel to _Fate/stay night_.


	5. Act V.iv. Third Wheeling Your Senpai - Midnight_Tryst_2.0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Yuzu realizes that third wheeling is not worth it. Then Diana and Akko have a serious conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for depictions of violence and dark thoughts (during Diana’s nightmare towards the end)

"Thanks for helping me out with my studies, Akko-senpai," Yuzu says, taking a seat across from Akko.

Akko drops a stack of textbooks onto the library table. She places her hands on her hips and grins. "Hah, no problem! I don't know how much I can help with book stuff, but I'll do my best! It can't be that hard since I already took the classes, right? Even though I did horrible in almost all of them…"

"I believe in you, Akko-senpai!"

Akko pulls out her chair and takes her seat. "Besides, we can always ask Diana for a better explanation if I can't give you one."

"She's coming later, right?"

Akko's shoulders slump. "Yeah. She said something about a quick meeting with Professor Norling. Knowing how much the professors love her, it might go from a five minute conversation to an entire night! Ahh, why does everyone get to spend more time with Diana than me?!"

Yuzu giggles. "Akko-senpai, are you jealous?"

"Noooo." Akko pouts. "Fine, maybe. Gaaaaaah, I'm her girlfriend! Shouldn't I have the right to be?"

"I'm sure Diana only has you on her mind. Who would give you up for anyone else?"

Tears well in Akko's eyes. "Th-Thanks, Yuzuuuuu!!!"

"Wah! Akko-senpai! Don't lunge over the table so suddenly! Ahhh! Our books!"

"You're a good person, Yuzu!"

"O-Okay, but if the librarian comes over-!"

"Miss Kagari! Miss Mutouzeki! This is a  _library_!"

Akko jumps back into her seat as Yuzu's back snaps straight.

"H-Hai!"

The old librarian blinks, losing some of her ire. "I will take that as a sign that you will both behave for the rest of the night. If you are going to be staying out of your rooms to study, then I expect to see you doing exactly that!"

"Yes, ma'am…"

The librarian huffs but leaves without another word. Akko and Yuzu sit down in their seats and go through the books that they brought over.

"So what did you need help on? Magic Linguistics? Astronomy?" Akko blanches. "Please don't say Numerology or History…"

Yuzu giggles. "No, I don't need help on Magic History. Maybe Numerology, but I know how much you hate Professor Badcock's class."

"Did you know Diana actually corrected Badcock during my first year?  _And_ she's apparently the only student who's ever been able to read this super complicated text that Finneran showed during my first Linguistics class."

Yuzu blinks. Her mouth opens and closes as she tries to process this information. "Wow. You have an amazing girlfriend."

"Right?!" Akko nods. "That's what makes her such a worthy rival. If you set the bar that high, then you'll definitely reach your own goal once you surpass them! And it's even greater now that I got her helping me. Competing against her by myself was fine, but it's annoying when I can't get anything right." Akko grins. "She's a great rival like that. Have you ever heard of someone who'd ever help their rival?" Her face drains of color upon a realization. "Even if she doesn't consider me one… Gaaaah, who cares what she or anyone else thinks?!"

"Akko-senpai, I think it's important for girlfriends to care about what each other think. So I'm sure Diana cares about you." Yuzu hums. "Maybe she likes the friendly competing but doesn't want to use such a negative term like 'rival' to describe your relationship?"

"Huh? What does it matter? Aren't we describing our current relationship using 'girlfriends?'"

"That's just one way to describe it. And maybe the number one way. But there's other components to your relationship, right? Like you said, you two are still working to get better by learning from each other. So… maybe you're not so much rivals as working towards your own goals together by making  _the other person_ as a goal?"

"Wow Yuzu, I didn't know you had such a way with words." Akko leans back in her seat. "Diana as a goal to reach my main goal to become a good witch. I like that!"

Yuzu nods. "That's why you're my goal, Akko-senpai! If I can pass you, then I can definitely do anything!"

"Yeah!" Akko pauses. "Wait,  _I'm_ your target? When I said you should decide on goal for yourself…"

"I  _did_ come to Luna Nova just to meet you. And now that I've met you, the next step is to surpass you, right?"

Akko scratches her cheek. "I guess? You're already better than me at all of the classes I took during my first year. Especially Magic History."

"But not all! Not Magic Philosophy, Animal Language, and definitely not Metamorphosis Magic! I still have a long way to go."

Akko chuckles. "I guess it's nice to have a goal in mind at least."

Yuzu clenches both fists in front of her and nods. "I don't want to focus on how I struggle here. I just have to keep moving forward. If I keep trying to get better, I have to get somewhere!"

"You know, if you keep aiming for me and I keep aiming for Diana, doesn't that mean we'll both be better than Luna Nova's Ace at some point?"

Yuzu gasps. "You're right! I knew picking you as my goal was a good idea!"

Akko's expression morphs into one devilish smirk. "Then Amanda won't be able to call me a dunce anymore! Yuzu, let's both work hard so Amanda graduates as Luna Nova's dunce and not me! I mean so we can both beat Diana!"

"Yeah!"

"That will only happen if you take your studying seriously," Akko's usual voice of reason says from behind her.

Akko whips around in her seat. "Diana!"

The librarian shushes her with a finger on her lips.

"Sorry!" In a quieter voice, she says, "You're done with your meeting?"

Diana takes the seat next to Akko and places her books down on the table. "Yes. Professor Norling wanted to discuss what happened in class."

"You mean how Sucy poured a potion all over you?"

Yuzu blinks. "Wow. I knew she liked trying potions on people, but I didn't think she'd actually do that in the middle of a class."

"She had… her reasons," Diana says slowly. She chooses not to divulge anymore information. "What subject are you two currently studying?"

"We haven't decided yet." Yuzu looks through the pile of books on the table. A blue and green book with a particular title catches her eye. "What's this?  _Healing and Medicinal Magic_ … I don't think I've seen this course."

"Oh, that's actually for me," Akko says. "It's a class I'm taking with Diana. I… probably need some help on that."

Diana sighs. "At least you admit you need it."

"Is it a general requirement for the upperclassmen?" Yuzu asks.

"It's an elective course offered to third and fourth years," Diana answers.

"Diana's taking it because her family specializes in this kind of magic," Akko says. "I thought it'd be a nice skill to learn. Then maybe I won't have to see Nurse Ophelia so often and she can stop yelling at me."

"Did you take the class thinking there'd only be one or two spells to learn?" Yuzu wonders.

"… Maybe…"

Diana takes the textbook and places it to the side closer to Akko. "Let's begin with a subject  _Yuzu_ needs help in. This is originally a study session for her, after all."

Yuzu waves her hands and shakes her head. "Oh, it's okay! I'm happy get some exposure to other classes at Luna Nova too! It'll give me an idea when I have to take them later on."

Diana has none of that. She looks through the pile of books and picks out an olive green book and another blue book.

Akko blanches at the titles. "Oh man…"

"Going over the basics from our first and second years will be beneficial as well. I heard you are particularly interested in Magic History?"

Yuzu's eyes light up in stark contrast to Akko's expression of horror. "Yeah! I couldn't do any magic before coming to Luna Nova since I don't come from a family of spellcasters, so that's what I spent my time studying instead. It's so fascinating how history has progressed, especially with witches. We went from the Golden Age down to the Witch Hunts and then to where we are now!"

Diana smiles. "I am glad to see at least someone appreciates the delicate histories of magic. Not very many find history to be an interesting subject. I admit, it can be rather bland and tedious to study."

"You're sure one of a kind, Yuzu," Akko remarks.

Yuzu takes one of the books and flips to one of the later chapters. "It's just so cool to see how the world changes as time goes on. We can either progress or regress. Either way, we eventually reach a point that may seem different but also the same as a previous point in time. Like right now! Magic is revived thanks to you guys fixing the Yggdrasil. But it's not completely the same as when it was during the Golden Age of Magic, right?"

Akko and Diana blink at Yuzu's enthusiasm.

"That… is an interesting way of putting it," Diana says.

"Yeah. Even I have to give history a credit for that one," Akko adds.

"It's all based on interpretation and attitude!" Yuzu says proudly.

(Perhaps Yuzu should be the one inspiring Akko, and not the other way around.) Diana wonders.

Yuzu flips the page to a chapter titled, 'The Age of Witch Hunts.' "I can't wait for next year when we get to this chapter. I spent the most time learning about the Witch Hunts before I came to Luna Nova."

Akko grimaces. "Oh yeah, I remember that part of the class. Magic history's boring, but that chapter was definitely not a fun thing to learn."

Yuzu absentmindedly flips through the chapter. "But that's the whole point of learning it, right? Because it's not pleasant? Non-magic users feared spellcasters - especially witches - and acted on that fear. It's only after witches showed everyone the goodness of our magic that everyone regained their trust in witches. Even if a lot of lives were lost before that happened…" Yuzu shakes her head. "But knowing what happened helps us prevent it from happening again. And that's why history is so important to me."

Diana nods. "That is a good perspective to have. It would be catastrophic to have another Witch Hunt."

Yuzu settles on one of the pages with an illustration of a witch being burned at the stake. "Apparently there's a rumor that so many witches were burned during the Witch Hunts that the fires gathered together to form one horrible monster of flames." Yuzu shivers. "I guess some people just really hate witches."

An image of a giant fire monster turned insane after accidentally ingesting a philosopher's stone flashes through Akko's memories. Her right side even starts to flare up with heat.

"Didn't we meet something like that last year?" Akko asks Diana. "At the Leblehbleh House? I think that smoking lady called it Innocentius."

Yuzu slams her hands on the table. "You've  _met_ the King of Witch Hunters?!"

The librarian shushes them all the way from her desk. Yuzu doesn't even bother to feel guilty.

Akko blinks. "Uh, yeah. It was supposed to be this really small flame until someone fed it a philosopher's stone and it grew bigger than the manor. And the one who fed it was," Akko's face twists into anger and disgust, "that guy who messed with Diana!"

Diana places a hand on Akko's and gives it a squeeze. The coolness of her palm helps calm Akko down before the librarian can come and yell at them again. She keeps her hand on top of Akko's, letting her fingers caress warm flesh.

"Yes, the conglomeration of flames known as the King of Witch Hunters was at the House of Lefevre when we visited last year. It is currently under the care of the head of that house," Diana says as she rubs slow circles on the back of Akko's hand.

Yuzu keeps her eyes away from the tender movement. "I  _did_ hear it's currently under good care so that no one can use it to harm witches, but I didn't think you guys would have met it already. Man, you two have done a lot together!"

"It has been a… long year."

Yuzu keeps her head down toward her book but allows her eyes to peek at the two older students sitting across from her. Diana's hand is still covering Akko's, but at least Akko isn't clenching her fist anymore. Akko's expression is also more relaxed as she leans her head against Diana's shoulder. In return, Diana rests her cheek on the top of Akko's head, closing her eyes as she lets Akko's scent relax her tense and stressed body.

(Wait, when'd they start sitting so close?)

Though, Yuzu realizes that she shouldn't be surprised by this at all. As much as she tries to close the distance between herself and her idol, Yuzu knows there is a history that she was not privy to. No matter what she reads and listens to from others, it doesn't change the fact that she hasn't lived it herself. There are certain experiences that she cannot share with her inspiration, no matter how much she wishes to.

But this is enough. Being able to attend the same school, sitting across from her, even talking with her so often is something Yuzu is glad to have. So this is fine, especially for tonight.

Even if it hurts a little.

(Even if I'm a little sad about it…)

Yuzu makes up her mind and closes the History of Magic book. She starts to gather her things. By the time Akko and Diana notice what is happening, Yuzu has already stood up and started to leave their space.

Akko shakes her head out of her stupor. "Huh? Yuzu?"

"I'm feeling kind of tired, so I'm going to head back a little early to take a shower and get some sleep." Yuzu gives them a small, kind smile. "Besides, I miss the warmth of my bed. Wrapping myself in a blanket burrito sounds great right now. I guess another person wrapping around me would be nice too if I wasn't single." Yuzu's face flushes red. "Um… okay bye!"

Yuzu throws her bag over her shoulder and rushes out of the library, leaving the two gaping at her empty space.

Akko breaks the silence. "Uh… did we just…?"

Diana sighs. "Yes, yes we did."

"Oh… that's kind of awkward. Guess Amanda was right."

"About?"

"'Your relationship is so tooth-rotting sweet that it gets almost painful to look at.' Oh wait, that was what Sucy said. Amanda's was 'Learn a spatial distortion spell so you two can hide yourselves when you want to be so lovey-dovey.'"

"Interesting. Hannah and Barbara said something similar. Though in a different wording."

"Makes me wonder if they talk about us behind our backs."

Speaking of talking behind her back…

"Akko." Diana lifts her head and gently raises Akko upright. "There is something I need to ask you."

"I swear I had nothing to do with the fire that scared all the spirits today!"

" … Do I dare ask what happened in the kitchen?"

"Uh… let's not. What'd you want to ask me?"

Diana takes a deep breath and asks, "How are you feeling?"

Akko blinks. Once. Twice. Another time. Finally, she processes the simple question and says, "Um, fine? I haven't had any explosions with potions. Or redirected any spells at myself during practice. Or flew into anything during flying practice. And Sucy hasn't really been using me as a guinea pig-"

"That… isn't what I meant. For starters, how have you been sleeping?"

Akko scratches her head. "Fine, I guess. I wake up in the middle of the night a lot. But I think I just need to use the bathroom a lot."

"And it isn't due to any other reason? For instance," Diana steels herself, "any lingering dreams?"

Akko slaps her palm with the hammer part of her other hand. "Oh yeah! I  _have_  been having these weird dreams lately. But I usually wake up from them falling off my bed so I don't keep falling through space in my sleep."

Diana frowns. That doesn't sound like the nightmares Sucy mentioned. "What do you see in those dreams?"

"They're a lot calmer than the other ones I have, so I actually like these more." Before Diana can ask about  _those_  dreams, Akko continues, "I'm standing on a broom in space. Kind of like us after we shot down that giant missile with the Shiny Rod. And then there'd be this bright light and I accidentally fall off the broom. No matter how hard I try, I can never stay standing on it. Then I wake up."

"You mentioned the other dreams; the more hostile ones. What about those?"

"Oh those? Those haven't been happening as much since I've been getting the space dream."

Diana decides to file the space dream to discuss for later. Right now, she tackles the topic she vowed to discuss with Akko since the mishap with Sucy.

"Then they've happened often before?"

Akko tenses, sensing something off with Diana's questioning. "It's normal to have dreams. I get weird ones all the time. Everyone has them."

Diana has enough and speaks straight to the point. "Not if you are waking up emotionally compromised."

The whisper is neither loud nor harsh. It's only a declaration of the truth derived from common sense and personal experience.

But to Akko, it feels as if Diana is accusing her of something she can't name. The current conversation doesn't sit right with her. It causes goosebumps to rise on her skin, her body tensing as if getting ready for a fight.

Even though Diana is the last person Akko would ever think of hurting.

"It was happening to you before. Still is, if what Hannah and Barbara say is true," Akko argues instead.

That takes Diana aback. "I was not aware you spoke to Hannah and Barbara about my sleeping habits."

"Just because they're mean to me doesn't mean we can't worry about you. Especially since you don't really know how to do that yourself."

"In any case, my nightmares are not the point of this conversation."

"Doesn't mean you don't get them too."

"Then you admit you have had recurring nightmares as well?"

Akko groans. "Yeah, I do! Happy? Is that what you wanted me to say? That I haven't been able to sleep at all ever since I found nothing left of you except your necklace and some dust?!"

Silence falls in the library. They've both raised their voices so much that everyone in the library knows of their conversation. The topic is none of their business that all they can do is remain in an awkward silence and try not to glance at the arguing couple. Even the librarian can't help but leave the two be despite breaking library rules.

Diana is torn between offering comfort and remedying the situation. Unfortunately, the two are not mutually inclusive in this case.

"Akko…"

Akko shakes her head, rubbing the sides of her head with her fingers. "Guhhh, this isn't how any of this was supposed to go. I wasn't supposed to blow up, and you're not supposed to look like that. I wanted you to smile more and this is  _really_ doing the exact opposite."

"No, you've done nothing wrong. If anything, I should be the one apologizing." Diana clenches her fists in her lap. "Although I know my apologies cannot change the decision I made that caused your pain."

"It's done. You stopped the evil witch from reviving and enslaving everyone. You did the right thing."

"And hurt you in the process. Why haven't you told anyone that this was - is - still bothering you?"

"Because it's said and done. You're here and alive and we're together and the world is happy. So we should be happy."

"But  _you_  are not."

Akko leans forward and grabs Diana's hands. She scoots her chair forward so she doesn't have to lean. "I  _am_ happy. You have no idea. Since I realized I had feelings for you, I felt like I finally answered a question that was laughing in my face for months. I always thought it was because I wanted to beat you and prove I could be a good witch." Akko takes a deep breath. "But then I realized it wasn't just that. I didn't just want to get better than you; I wanted you to see me every step of the way. I wanted to prove you wrong and make you see that I  _can_ work hard even if I'm not like you or the other witches. And then I realized I wanted to spend more time with you not just to compete and then it was spend time with  _mostly_ you and this turned into that and… oh geez I was really dense, wasn't I? Now I think I know why Amanda laughs at me so much-"

Diana switches their hands so she's the one holding Akko's. "Akko, breathe."

Akko does just that and then continues, "I wasn't lying when I said your smiles make everything better. They're good enough when things get a little dark."

"They might not be enough."

"They  _are_ enough," Akko insists. "The nightmares don't come up as much anymore. It's okay. If anything, we should be worried about  _yours_. You're the one who had to be brought back to life and all that."

"I would be more concerned with your well-being if you are not getting enough rest due to restless sleep."

Akko pulls back her hands and crosses them over her chest. "You sound like you don't want me to worry about  _you_ even though you just described yourself."

Diana sighs. "I am getting the help I need to calm the lingering phantoms of trauma. I do not see you doing the same."

"I drank that weird tea thing too."

"It is an  _ongoing_ prescription. Have you gone to Nurse Ophelia for more since she first prescribed it?"

"I don't need it!"

"That does not seem to be the case."

"I don't want them and I don't need them. Why won't anyone listen to me?!"

"Perhaps that would be more believable if you weren't waking up your roommates in the middle of the night."

Akko's mouth flaps open in a gape. "So  _that's_ why you brought this up? Is that why Sucy spilled her potion on you in class? Just to complain to you? Why didn't she or even Lotte just tell me?"

"It is what we talked about, but she only confirmed the suspicions I had for some time." Diana narrows her eyes. "I do not need someone else to tell me to be worried for my  _own girlfriend_."

Akko huffs. "Yeah well, you and everyone else can be worried all you like. I'm fine. There's nothing anyone else can do now that everything's passed. 'We can only move forward from here.' Isn't that what Professor Ursula said?"

"Moving on and disregardment are two separate actions," Diana argues. She prepares to say more, but chooses to keep it to herself and rethink the direction this conversation is taking. She takes a deep breath before continuing, "This is reaching no conclusion. I know that there is nothing either of us can do except to cherish the happiness we have now. I made my decision in the Arcturus Forest. I do not regret it. I had faith that you and everyone else could piece together what had to be done to save my life. I truly am sorry for the pain I have caused you. If apologies cannot soothe the ache, I only want to know what I  _can_ do to help."

Akko deflates, her irritation subsiding as Diana calms the atmosphere. "No tea. No medicine. I don't want it. I just want you. Isn't that fine?"

Diana sighs. "If you insist, then yes."

Akko takes this as a truce and end of the argument. She moves her chair over to Diana so she can huddle up next to her.

The library falls silent. The two were so engrossed in their own conversation that they hadn't noticed everyone else - including the librarian - empty out of the room. It's just Akko and Diana left in the library; save for a cleaning spirit on the other end of the library.

Akko rests her head on Diana's shoulder. "Did we just have our first actual fight since we got together?"

(I get to spend the alone time I wanted with Diana but we had to fight first? This isn't fair…)

Diana nods to the best of her ability with Akko so close to her. "It was one we most likely needed."

"So… we're okay now, right?"

Diana clenches a fist. The discussion is definitely not over, especially on her side. In the end, she knows both she and Akko have demons that they both need to banish sooner rather than later. To do so requires them to acknowledge the existence of the problem and develop a proper way to deal with the problem.

A problem which Akko doesn't seem to think matters enough to address. Though if Diana was being honest with herself, she isn't one to criticize Akko's coping mechanism either.

Therefore, she holds her tongue for tonight. If they aren't getting anywhere at this time, then it is probably best to leave and tackle the problem - whatever it is - at another opportunity.

So all Diana replies for now is, "Yes, we're alright."

They spend the next half hour just like that: sitting close to one another in silence, simply sharing the time together without any other distractions. No studying is done. They stay like that for as long as they can, switching positions every now and then. It isn't until the cleaning sprite tells them to head back to their rooms do the two pack up their things and leave.

And even when they leave the library, Akko and Diana take their time returning to their respective rooms.

* * *

Unfortunately, Akko's comforting presence does not keep Diana's own nightmares at bay for long.

"Disappear!" Diana whirls around in the other direction to avoid her other self.

"I can't," her voice answers from in front of her. "You and I both know that."

Two hands grasp Diana's shoulders, preventing her from moving further. The other Diana digs her fingers into Diana's shoulder. The steel that is supposed to be her skin pierces through the nightgown and into Diana's body, holding her in place.

Diana only flinches. The pain is nothing new.

"You cannot be here."

"Then find a solution."

"I have  _tried_. Nothing helps. Not even…" Diana dips her head down, resting her forehead on her doppelganger's bladed shoulder. "Not even Akko."

Steel fingers pry deeper into Diana's shoulder, finally eliciting a cry from the distraught witch.

"Then what will you do? Give up? Is that your final decision? After all these years, taking pride that you never gave up despite losing your magic, losing Mother, losing your childhood, losing it all, even your own life; you will give up now?" The other girl sneers. "Then do it. Give up. Fall. Because when that happens, I will be there every step of the way."

The other Diana wretches one of her hands out of Diana's shoulder, shredding the muscle more than Renatus Bradley had done. The same hand coated in blood spears through Diana's chest. The blades stab into Diana's flesh, latching on so that the other Diana can drag her forward and whisper into her ear.

"And I will be the one to crush the last of your happiness with glee."

* * *

Diana doesn't remember waking up. She doesn't remember Hannah and Barbara by her side, rubbing her back. And she certainly doesn't remember the tears trailing down her cheeks.

All she remembers is her own voice echoing in her head and the cold, unforgiving steel forever lodged in her body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Derp. Yuzu realized she was just third wheeling Diakko and decided to get out of there.
> 
> Communication is an annoying problem. It can be overly cliche and frustrating, so I'm adding the proper motivations for it. Diana got herself to open up to Akko, but that doesn't mean she's learned to comfort others. She did well before, but that's because she could empathize with Akko. This time, she can't seem to understand what Akko is feeling.
> 
> Diana compartmentalizes her own problems a different way. Neither method is healthy. Yikes.
> 
> Ngl, I feel pretty... detached from this chapter despite being pretty proud of it (lots of angst galore). I just finished my first round of grad interviews (still waiting to see if I get any more offers) so I'm not really in the mood to talk lol.
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> Per Alejandrina114's description, Yuzu's face character is Kousaka Reina from _Hibike! Euphonium_. Yuzu is a little thinner and taller than Reina. And I've never watched _Hibike_ so Yuzu's character is completely from scratch by me. Alejandrina114 also came up with Yuzu's name.


	6. Act V.v. The Lucky Ones are Truly Unlucky - Fall_Into_the_Abyss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Amanda ropes Akko and Yuzu into her shenanigans with a bit of a twist at the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is the last chapter for Act V! Important author's notes at the end of the chapter :O

Ever since the end of their first year, the red, green, and blue teams have opted to spend more of their free time together. It doesn't occur at every given moment; everyone still has their own interests and things to do. There's also a matter of their contrasting personalities (the blue team still hasn't willingly assimilated into the red and green's dynamics yet). The three teams will mostly sit together during meals rather than spend outings together. The picnic to celebrate Akko's first attempt to fly is considered a rare gathering.

Today is one of those rare moments where the three teams decide to spend a day without classes just relaxing in a clearing. As the season grows closer to winter, it becomes less feasible to spend the days outdoors for longer than necessary. So the young girls take advantage of this opportunity before they can't.

But unlike Akko's first successful flight, the girls have nothing planned to do except to study. Meaning a few of them won't be agreeable for long.

Amanda throws herself back onto the grass with a loud groan. "Gaaaaah! This is so  _boring_!"

At the same time, Akko throws her book onto the grass and glares at the horrible thing. "This is stupid! Why do I even need to know about how fast skin cells divide?! How does that have anything to do with healing?!"

"Why are you even taking a class as hard as Healing Magic, anyway?" Barbara asks.

"Yeah. A dunce like you would never pass that class, let alone get a good grade. Why even bother?" Hannah says.

Amanda's smirks and wiggles her eyebrows. "Is it to please a certain Banana Princess girlfriend?"

Akko huffs. "Noooo. It's good to know how to heal people. If I can fix myself up, then I won't have to keep going to the infirmary or rely on Diana to save me all the time."

(It's 100000% for Diana. But screw Amanda. And Hannah and Barbara. And anyone who keeps annoying me!)

"And I'm not a dunce. I  _can_ learn it!" Akko adds as an afterthought.

Diana sighs, stilling herself from continuing to rub the page between the pads fingers. "The point of studying together is to help one another if there is a problem. I would not be opposed to offering my help  _if you cease your complaints_."

"Just leave them alone," Sucy says, keeping her attention on her latest concoction. She presses a few buttons on Stanbot to set the correct settings as her centrifuge. "Not everyone can study for long periods of time like you can. Especially not those two who have attention spans shorter than Stanbot."

Stanbot beeps indignantly as if upset that Sucy would even compare it to Amanda and Akko. Sucy quickly mutters an apology before Stanbot spills her potions.

"Not like you two get much more done alone compared to with us," Amanda grumbles.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Akko asks at the same time Diana raises an eyebrow at Amanda.

"Heard your study session with Yuzu was a fluke last night. You guys talked for a bit and then she ended up leaving because you guys were being gross again."

Akko sputters incoherently, shocked that Yuzu would even tell Amanda that.

Diana narrows her eyes and asks, "And did Yuzu tell you that exactly?"

"Nah. I just asked her how your study group went and she said she left early to give you two privacy. Doesn't take a genius to figure out what she's too nice to say."

"But Akko still came back late last night," Lotte remarks.

Sucy says, "Just means she and Diana spent plenty of time together even after Yuzu left. As usual."

Amanda shakes her head. "Didn't think you guys would be bold enough to  _scare people off_  now. Good thing we're pretty resilient."

"Yuzu left of her own accord," Diana retorts.

Akko nods. "We didn't scare her off or anything."

"You guys do know that anyone would feel awkward if they were cockblocking any couple, right? Even if they're just making lovey-dovey faces at each other or holding hands," Amanda says.

Akko looks down and purses her lips together. She comes to a quick conclusion and jumps to her feet.

"I'm going to fix this!" she says and runs off before anyone can say anything.

"Fix what? It's not like she screwed up anything," Barbara says.

Hannah shrugs. "Maybe Akko just knows that she screws everything up even if she doesn't really screw it up."

"That makes no sense."

"Not like Akko ever makes sense."

"You're right."

Diana sighs. "Girls, what did I say about criticizing Akko?"

"Say it to her face or don't say it at all." Hannah and Barbara say simultaneously.

Amanda snickers. "Seriously?"

"Wise words," Sucy drawls sarcastically.

"No! That is  _not_ what I said. Exactly." Diana pinches the bridge of her nose. "Although Akko certainly has her… misfortunes, she has certainly improved herself these past few years."

Lotte nods in agreement. "Akko doesn't seem to leap before thinking as much anymore. Especially since last year."

"Yeah, she's  _stopping_ to think now. Strange," Sucy says.

"Not that she wasn't doing that before. Just, more now!"

"Lotte, you're too nice," Barbara says.

"A true cinnamon roll, too pure for this world," Amanda says, nodding in agreement.

Jasminka tilts her head. "Cinnamon roll? I don't think I can eat Lotte."

"Please don't try…" Lotte says.

The group goes back to what they were doing before. The silence and peace lasts for a few minutes until Akko comes running back pulling a flustered and confused Yuzu.

" _That's_ your idea of fixing this?" Barbara is the first to ask incredulously. "Where'd you pull that poor girl from anyway?"

Yuzu leans over with her hands on her knees, breathing heavily to catch her breath. She manages to heave out a reply to Hannah, "Library… actually…"

Hannah slaps her face. "So you pulled her away when she was  _actually_ being productive. Way to think things through, Akko."

"You know what, I'm just going to ignore you two for now." Akko turns away from the group and faces Yuzu. She claps her hands in front of her. "I'm sorry! I know I said it ten times before I dragged you from the library but I still feel bad so. I'm really, really sorry for last night!"

Yuzu shakes her head after finally catching her breath. "It's okay. Really, Akko-senpai. We can have another study session another day!"

"How about right now? We're all just hanging out here if you want to join us!"

Yuzu frowns and considers her options.

(I mean, I was supposed to meet up with Hyunji and Shuri at the library. But studying with Akko-senpai and her friends is such a rare opportunity! Okay, I'm sure Hyunji and Shuri will understand!)

Yuzu nods. "Sure! I'd love to join you guys!"

Amanda rolls her eyes as Yuzu joins Akko on the grass surrounded by a bunch of textbooks. "You're really going to stick your noses in those dusty books? Way to be a killjoy. The day's great for doing anything  _but_ studying!"

"Oh yeah? I don't see  _you_ with any better ideas," Akko challenges.

Amanda smirks. "How about a broom race? Doesn't have to be a relay or anything fancy like that. Just a quick run around the field."

Before Akko can reply, Lotte points out, "Isn't it a bit of a disadvantage for Akko? Sure she's improved her flying a lot since her first year, but she's definitely not an expert. And the only person here who can compete against you is probably Diana."

Hannah scoffs. "There's no way Diana would even entertain that idea. She has better things to do than to take part in a silly race with you."

"Not like I wanted to race the Banana Princess anyway." Amanda dismisses the idea entirely and turns back to Akko. "So what do you say, Akko? You gonna take the challenge?" Amanda leans in and wiggles her eyebrows. "Or are you afraid to lose? Too chicken?"

Akko jumps to her feet. "There's no way I'm losing to you!"

Amanda rises to meet Akko's glare straight on. "Oh yeah?"

Yuzu looks back and forth between the arguing two and the rest of the girls. "Does this happen all the time? How do you guys get  _anything_ done?"

"You learn to ignore it," Sucy says, doing just that. At least she graces Yuzu with an answer, unlike Constanze who doesn't look up from tinkering with her broom.

Hannah shakes her head. "For those two dunces? Cramming.  _A lot_  of cramming. They still get poor marks on their exams though."

"Especially Akko." Barbara sighs. "No amount of Diana's tutoring can help that hopeless idiot."

Yuzu frowns. "That can't be ri-"

Akko whirls around and yells, "Nuh uh! Diana is a great teacher! I don't always fail!"

Diana slams her book shut, cutting off whoever is going to reply next. She stands up and smooths out her skirt, then proceeds to pack her belongings back into her bag. She slings the satchel over her shoulder starts to walk away from the clearing.

Hannah and Barbara recover quickly and throw their own things into their bags. They follow after their leader, yelling simultaneous cries of "Diana!" in an effort to get Diana to slow down.

Akko shakes herself from her stupor. "Wait, Diana! Where are you go-?"

Diana stops so suddenly that Hannah and Barbara nearly run into her back. She doesn't turn around, but does turn her head slightly to reply.

"If you will not take this studying seriously, then there is no reason for me to linger amongst distractions when I can make progress on my own. I'll see you some other time, Akko."

"Diana!"

But Diana doesn't grace Akko with another reply. She walks away so quickly that Hannah and Barbara don't even have the opportunity to stick their tongue out at Akko.

"Geez, what's her problem?" Amanda wonders once the blue team are out of view.

"Look what happened! What am I supposed to do with an angry girlfriend?!" Akko demands. "The last time she got mad at me I wasn't allowed to cuddle with her for a  _week_! And we're supposed to go on a date tomorrow! What does this  _mean_?!"

"Not my fault that Diana has a stick up her-"

" _Please_ do not finish that sentence!" Lotte yells. "You're setting a bad example for Yuzu!"

Yuzu blinks. "Sasuga Akko-senpai. Even your friends are amazing."

"Amazingly stupid," Sucy mutters.

* * *

"Geez, can you believe those two?" Hannah grumbles. "The rest of us are actually trying to get some work done. Amanda just has to insist on doing something outrageous and ruin everything for the rest of us."

Barbara shakes her head. "Guess some things just don't change. A rebel will always be a rebel. No amount of time will be enough for someone like Amanda to mature. I was hoping Akko would be better, but I guess I overestimated her."

"Diana can only influence her so much."

Barbara nods.

The two wait for a reprimand for talking lowly of Akko. But no reply of any sort comes from their silent leader. Diana simply continues walking through the halls toward their room.

Hannah and Barbara glance at each other with mirrored expressions of concern. They speed up their paces to flank Diana directly by her sides.

"Diana? Everything alright?" Barbara asks.

Diana blinks. "Yes, everything is fine. Is there something wrong?"

"Not with us. But you look like you have something on your mind," Hannah says.

"No, nothing is wrong. I was… thinking."

"About?" the other two insist.

Diana shakes her head. "Nothing in particular. The subject about Akko's improvement has crossed my mind multiple times."

"Yet in a lot of ways she's still the same dunce from first year," Hannah says. "Amanda too. We might be older, but there's some things that we can't grow out of. Don't let their stupidity get to you."

Diana slows her pace down to a stop, taking the opportunity to step in front of one of the windows. She turns her gaze outside while one palm rests against the cool glass. The chill seeps through her skin and into her bones, another reminder that her tactile senses are still the same- that they still function.

"If only some parts of her remained the same, as opposed to others," she whispers.

Barbara hums. "Current Akko isn't the best, but she's definitely better than before. Not that it bothers me, but sometimes I feel like Akko spends more time with you more than we do."

"They  _are_ together," Hannah says, "If it weren't for the professors, those two would have moved in together since day one."

"It's so  _endearing_. Weird, but really cute. I never knew Akko could be so clingy."

"Yeah.  _That_ definitely seems weird. And she's throwing more compliments and insults these days. It's a pretty nice change though."

To Hannah and Barbara's surprise, Diana agrees with them.

"It isn't like her. That much is true. I understand that one changes once they enter a steady relationship. But it is almost as if she is trying too hard. What is it that she fears?"

"I mean…" Barbara glances around to see if anyone is close enough to hear, "you did kind of die for a bit. We really thought you were gone."

Hannah nods. "It was horrible. Those few days before we knew there was even a chance of saving you. I can understand where she's coming from."

"Have you tried talking to Akko about it?" Barbara asks.

"As often as I can. Akko will always find some way to turn the conversation away toward another topic not long after we begin discussing it."

"She's avoiding it? But why?"

Diana shakes her head. "I don't know. But her recent behavior reflects this as well. It is almost as if this is all a veil Akko is pulling over herself to hide something I don't understand. I'm not sure if Akko herself is conscious of this."

"Maybe she's happy with what they are now," Hannah says. "Maybe it's better to just tide things through without bringing it up. Let it disappear on its own."

"That's not healthy," Barbara points out.

Diana nods. "It is all I can do right now. If Akko has to use any means to bring happiness to herself, how can I object?" She tightens her hold on her satchel. "After hurting her and nearly breaking our promise, the least I can do is oblige in this unrealistic fantasy of hers for as long as she needs."

Diana's hand falls from the window. She leaves one last glance at the unbroken structure before resuming their walk to their room. Hannah and Barbara understand that this is the last of their conversation.

"I too do not want the glass to shatter just yet."

Her friends cannot help but agree with her, no matter how dangerous they know that line of thought is.

* * *

The clearing returns to its previous silence. The departure of the blue team doesn't change the girls' situation at all. Sucy goes back to her potions, Lotte back to reading, Constanze and Jasminka continue with their tinkering and eating, respectively; Yuzu and Akko open some books and actually try to get some studying done.

Which means Amanda is  _still_ bored.

She seeks to remedy that. Again.

Amanda sits up from her lying position on the grass and crosses her legs. "Oi, Akko."

Akko groans. "Yeah?"

"If you're too chicken to race me," Amanda ignores Akko's incoherent protests and continues, "how about doing a bit of studying later on.  _Our_ style."

Akko narrows her eyes but closes her book and scoots closer to Amanda. "What's 'our' style?"

Amanda grins. "A couple of girls from the Grimoire class were talking about some nifty spells that they were talking about in class. Including a spell that gives someone photographic memory."

Akko's eyes widen. "No way! That means you can remember everything you learn without going over it a hundred times! So then…"

"We can kiss cramming good bye," Amanda finishes.

"A spell that grants the user photographic memory? That sounds really useful!" Yuzu says.

Amanda blinks. "You interested too? I thought you were already a good student."

"Yeah, but studying is  _boring_. I can go through Magic History books just fine. But everything else? Tearing out my teeth is probably easier."

Amanda guffaws. "Damn, Akko. She really  _is_ your admirer. I like her!"

Akko huffs. "So what's the spell?"

"How should I know? But it  _is_ in one of the Grimoires at Luna Nova."

"So we just have to go to the library and find it?"

"If it was that easy, every student would be getting grades like Diana no problem." Amanda waves her hand to dismiss the idea. "Nah. It's in the Luna Nova Archives."

"Why didn't you mention that earlier?! We need a special key to go there!"

Amanda tsks and waves her index finger in front of Akko's unamused face. "That's what a duplicate is for. It doesn't matter if it's a real or fake one as long as it works, right?"

"Oh, and you have a fake that works?"

"Tested it myself. Went in yesterday and took the first book that looked interesting." Amanda's expression sours. "Turns out growing combustible flowers isn't a good prank idea."

"There's a species of flowers that explodes but doesn't set everything on fire," Sucy says. "If I remember correctly, it was called-"

"Sucy, don't encourage Amanda's bad behavior!" Lotte admonishes. "Akko, I don't think this is a good idea. This is breaking so many rules in one sentence."

"'Break into the Luna Nova Archives to steal a grimoire with a spell that grants the user photographic memory to cheat studying.'" Sucy counts the number of violations on her fingers. "Well, Lotte's certainly not wrong."

"We're not  _stealing_ ," Amanda argues. "We're just gonna borrow it for a few minutes and learn the spell that we want. Then we'll put it back and it'll look like nothing happened at all."

Akko remains silent as she goes through her thoughts.

"I don't need the photographic memory," she says at last.

"HUH?! Then why'd you make it seem like you're interested?!" Amanda shouts.

"But I still want to go to the Archives," Akko continues. "I don't want that grimoire, but there's something else that I want to find."

"'Something else?'" the others echo.

Akko nods. "The professors didn't give me permission to go. But I really need to find out more about Soul Thaumaturgy."

"But I remember seeing books about that in the library," Yuzu says.

"Didn't Diana also borrow some last year? Why don't you ask her?" Lotte asks.

"And you're friends with the current head of the House of Fei who specialize in this. Just ask her," Sucy says.

Akko shakes her head. "None of it is enough. I need to go back to the oldest instance.  _That_ person should know the answers, but she didn't leave a lot for other people to learn. And everything she  _did_ leave is restricted because she's evil."

Lotte's eyes widen. "You don't mean the Witch of Corruption's research, do you?"

"When Akko actually starts to study, she has to pick the one thing that she shouldn't." Sucy sighs. "Typical Akko."

"The Witch of Corruption?" Yuzu asks.

"An evil witch who used to be one of the Nine Olde Witches before she summoned and formed a contract with a Demon," Lotte explains. "She nearly destroyed the Yggdrasil and the world. The Nine Olde Witches - as we know them as now - defeated her and sealed her in the Arcturus Forest."

"But what does that have to do with anything?"

Akko clenches her fists. "She's the only one who knows enough about souls to fix whatever's wrong with Diana. No one else does. Not Sakura, not her family, not the teachers; no one."

The words of a dead woman ring in Akko's ears.

" _The answer you seek is right in front of you, Miss Kagari. Will you endanger the rest of the world for one person? Or will you give up the life of your significant other to keep the majority safe?"_

Akko shakes her head. "I'm not going to break her seal or anything. I just want to know what she knows. Even if there's not a lot written down, I still have to try, right?"

Amanda clasps her hand over Akko's shoulder. "Pretty stupid that the old hags won't let you in. I'll give you the fake I had Constanze copy. I still want that photographic memory spell though."

"Akko-senpai, I want to come too!"

Akko blinks. "But why? You don't need to break the rules or anything."

Yuzu worries her lip. "But I want to help you. More people looking is better than one, right? And besides, I know how important Diana is to you. If there's a way that I can help you, then I'll do what I can!"

"Yuzu…"

Amanda takes the chance to slap Akko across the shoulder. "Man, I'm liking her more and more! You sure pulled in a good one!"

Sucy sighs. "Looks like Akko's got another idea that we can't stop. What should we do, Lotte?"

Lotte shakes her head with a resigned smile. "It can't be helped. I guess we'll just have to do what we always do."

Akko stares at her friends in disbelief. "You guys…"

"It isn't like you're breaking in to cheat on tests like Amanda. So you'll be breaking at least one less rule than her," Sucy points out.

"It's not much better, but hopefully we don't actually get expelled," Lotte says with a nervous chuckle.

"So what's the plan?" Yuzu asks.

Amanda waves her hand for everyone to gather around. Despite not showing interest before, even Constanze and Jasminka join their little circle.

Amanda starts her plan. "The more people looking through that Archive, the better. That place is pretty big so bring your brooms. But we still need people keeping watch. There's only one entrance into the building, so Jasna and Constanze can stay outside let us know if anyone's coming close."

"While the rest of us look for anything on Goetia," Akko says.

"And that Grimoire on photographic memory," Amanda adds.

Sucy smiles devilishly. "I wonder if that archive has anything on potions that this school is hiding."

"We're here to help Akko, Sucy. If we have time we can look for whatever you want," Lotte says.

"Fine. If it stops whatever farce those two are putting up."

Akko gives Sucy a confused look. "Wait, what?"

"Whatever, whatever. Anyway, meet in front of the archives at midnight. Make sure no one sees you," Amanda says.

Akko blows a raspberry. "Just because you've got a lot of experiences stealing things doesn't mean the rest of us don't know how to sneak out of our rooms too."

"Oh?" Amanda wiggles her eyebrows. "I bet you got a lot of experience with that these last few months. What with sneaking to Diana's room and all that to do who knows what?"

"We were just  _cuddling_!!!"

* * *

A few minutes before midnight, the girls cast an invisibility spell over each other and sneak out of the rooms. They traverse through the campus without encountering the night sentry or any other kind of trouble.

The clock strikes midnight. As the chime echoes across all of Luna Nova, each of the girls removes the invisibility spell from a single finger for everyone to take attendance. A total of six index fingers and (Amanda's) one middle finger marks everyone present. By the time the clock falls silent, the girls have recast the invisibility spell and Amanda placing the duplicate fake key into her wand.

Amanda looks around and make sure no one is nearby. Determining that the coast is clear, she holds up her wand and directs a silent stream of magic toward the entrance of the building. The magic dispels the cloaking spell on the structure, revealing the large, wooden door that allows them to enter.

Amanda takes the lead and walks up to the large double doors, the others following after her. Amanda pushes one side of the door open and enters. Akko, Lotte, Sucy, and Yuzu follow her while Constanze and Jasminka close the door and remain outside on guard.

The girls take the opportunity to marvel at the interior of the Reference Archive.

"Wow… This place is so much bigger on the inside than what it looks like from the outside," Yuzu says.

"I told ya it was big." Amanda twirls her broom before mounting it. "Alright, let's get looking. This place ain't got a control-find button."

"Before someone finds us," Lotte says.

"Right, before that."

The others mount their brooms too. The five girls cast  _Tia Freyre_ and begin searching around the center column for what they need. There aren't any lamps or lights to guide them except for the moonlight streaming in from the one window above them.

"Oh yeah." Amanda pulls out a book and places it in an empty cubby. "Won't be needing this anymore."

"Is that even where you got it from?" Akko asks.

"How should I know? This place doesn't have a library card system or even a librarian. So it shouldn't matter."

Akko groans. "They should at least organize these things in some way! Alphabetical, book height,  _something_. This is going to take forever!"

"You haven't even looked for more than ten seconds and you're already complaining," Sucy remarks. "That's a new record for you."

"And why does this important place have so many useless relics?" Akko picks up a chalice from one of the cubbies. "Why would they have a cup in here? Is this even real gold?"

Yuzu maneuvers her broom next to Akko's. "Wow! That's Medea's Chalice! It's said she brewed some of her most potent potions in this chalice! Sasuga Akko-senpai, noticing this from the start!"

"The what now?"

The Archive suddenly goes dark as the single window of the building is shut, throwing the room into darkness.

"Uh, is this supposed to happen?" Akko asks.

"This didn't happen last tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeeeee???!!!"

It's almost as if the air pressure lessens. One minute they're floating in mid-air. The next, all five of them are falling toward the cold stone floor in darkness.

Akko tries flicking her wand to cast a spell to stop their free fall. "Why isn't anything working?!"

"Because you're a dunce!" But Amanda fails to produce any effect as well when she tries. "Wait, why can't I do anything?!"

"I'm telling you this is-!"

The girls crash against the stone, barely stifling cries of pain as the impact shoots through their bodies. There's a distinct  _snap_ separate from the other thuds, followed by a small scream.

Despite her own bruises and possible fractures, Akko drags herself over to Lotte to check her body.

"L-Lotte, where does it hurt?" Akko asks.

It's a rather pointless question to ask. Akko doesn't need Lotte to answer to know that there's something wrong with her left arm. Even in the dark, Lotte's body language and position is enough to tell Akko how she landed wrong.

"How bad is it?" Sucy asks instead. The abnormal hitch in her breath gives away how much she's faking her own condition.

"What- What happened?" Yuzu gasps.

"I think Lotte broke her arm," Akko says.

Lotte clenches her eyes shut and tries not to cry. "I think I  _definitely_ broke it."

"It's a good thing we weren't that high then." Amanda moves over to the rest of the group. "What the heck happened anyway? My magic didn't sudden go spluck when I was here the last time."

"Were you even on your broom last time?" Akko asks.

"No, but I think I would've noticed the air pressure suddenly change. It's like something got sucked out from the room or something."

"Probably the magic," Sucy offers helpfully.

Something buzzes from Amanda's pocket. She digs her hand into her skirt and pulls out a small walkie talkie.

Amanda presses a button and speaks into it, "Did something happen?"

Before Jasminka can reply, the large double doors of the archive burst open, flooding the darkness with light. The girls squint their eyes and cover their faces with their working arms.

"Of  _course_ it would be you!" a familiar voice shouts.

Footsteps come up to the girls kneeling on the ground. The headmistress and a few of the professors, each clad in their nightgowns and holding up their wands for light, look down at the girls with irritated glares. Jasminka and Constanze follow behind them at a slower pace.

Uh oh. Busted.

Amanda groans. "Ah crap. It's Badcock and the others." She bemoans their misfortune even harder when her eyes adjust to the light. "And of course Finneran would be here too."

"In their pajamas," Sucy adds.

"Why am I not surprised to see you girls behind the intrusion?" Finneran says. She notices the new addition to their group. "Miss Mutouzeki,  _why_ are you here as well?"

Badcock fixes her glasses. "Hm, that really is one of the first years. Another troublemaker added to this group."

Holbrooke shakes her head. "While I am glad the security system did not catch anyone rightfully suspicious, it does not change the fact that the security caught  _something_. I am disappointed in you girls."

"What the heck was that, anyway? Dropping us from the air like that," Amanda grumbles.

"An updated security measure and nothing else," Finneran states. "The Archive was undergoing maintenance as we implemented the refurbished system."

Amanda and Akko glance at each other. Well, that explains why Amanda didn't get caught the first time.

"Oh you lot are in  _so_ much trouble," Nelson says. "Breaking into the Archives ain't as small as stealing a tart."

Lukić's eyes glint dangerously. "Shee shee shee. What'll your punishment be this time?~"

Akko, Amanda, and Yuzu gulp.

"Before any of that, can someone fix Lotte's arm?" Sucy interrupts. "It's fine for anyone else, but your new security system didn't have the best landing for us. Lotte probably wants to cry or scream right now."

Lotte nods while trying not to move her body too much to agitate her arm. "Please help."

Finneran kneels down next to Lotte and casts a quick spell to numb the pain. As Finneran performs first aid on Lotte, Holbrooke issues her orders.

"Infirmary first. All of you. Miss Yanson is not the only one with injuries. Then we will decide on your punishment." Her expression and stern voice leave no room for argument.

"Yes, Headmistress…"

* * *

Thankfully, most of the tasks have been to complete several chores throughout Luna Nova. Each of their detentions never last for more than four hours. The professors were kind enough to give them time to eat dinner after class.

A week later, Akko and company spend the sixth day fulfilling their punishment. On the weekend, their detention time frames are increased to encompass the entire day. Their only breaks are for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Akko groans. "I don't know if I can stop myself from puking anymore…"

"You kind of get used to it," Sucy says, her voice a bit muffled behind her safety mask.

"How do you get used to cleaning  _troll poop_?!"

"At least we weren't expelled," Lotte says.

Akko's tone changes as she addresses Lotte, "How's your arm feeling? I can't believe the professors still made you do this while you're recovering. Heck, they sent us to Nurse Ophelia and then had us start the day right after! I get that magic is great and heals stuff way faster than normal, but couldn't they give us some more time to rest?!"

Lotte smiles. "It's okay. I actually asked them to let me join you guys as soon as possible. Our injuries don't change the fact that we broke the rules; trespassing is a very serious issue. So the more we push it off, the longer we have to keep thinking about our punishment. I think it's better for us to get it over with."

"Better if we didn't have it at all," Akko grumbles. "I had to miss my date with Diana for detention. And  _every other_ possible date for the next two weeks!"

"And whose fault is that?" Sucy says.

Sucy's not wrong.

Akko's lips pull into a grumpy pout. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Diana already gave me a whole lecture on it. I even got the Hannah and Barbara version of it. I don't need anyone else to tell me how it's my own fault for messing up." She turns to the other culprit. "Hey Amanda, you're part of this punishment too. At least help out a bit."

Amanda blows a raspberry as she shifts her hands behind her head. "I'm on my break."

"You just had a break ten minutes ago!"

"Bah, those old ladies expect too much. Gotta make your own rules if you don't want to burn out." To prove her point, Amanda rolls over and makes herself comfortable against the wall.

"For the record, I heard trolls have terrible aim," Sucy says. "Sometimes they miss the toilet entirely and hit the walls and floors instead."

Amanda yelps, fear propelling her body off the aforementioned floor. "Couldn't you have mentioned that  _earlier_?!"

"It would've gotten Amanda to help us earlier," Lotte points out.

Sucy shrugs. "There wasn't a good opportunity."

Amanda plunges her mop into the bucket and starts to angrily scrub the bathroom floor with the rest of them. "Hey, at least I'm here for this, alright? Where's your little friend anyway?"

"You mean Yuzu?" Akko hums. "I think she had a family emergency or something. She had to rush back home yesterday."

"She has a legitimate excuse. Unlike you," Sucy says.

Amanda holds up her hands in a placating manner. "Alright, alright. If you wanted me to help, you could have just said so."

A resounding, "We have," from everyone present.

"I hope everything is okay with Yuzu though," Lotte says. "She looked like she was in a hurry when she was leaving."

Akko stops mopping to lean against the handle. "Yuzu mentioned that her dad wasn't feeling well and had to go to the hospital a lot this past year." Akko rests her chin over both of her hands. "She said that she wasn't planning on coming to Luna Nova with his condition like it is. But he and her mom convinced her to do what she wants. They didn't want to restrict her happiness with their own problems."

"Her parents sound like good people," Jasminka comments. She takes out a cracker from her skirt pocket and munches on it as the conversation continues.

"Doesn't sound easy if she's gotta fly back and forth from here and her home to check up on her dad." Amanda grimaces when her foot comes a little close to a questionable dark pile. "Not like cleaning this mess is easy either."

Sucy chuckles darkly. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a few empty vials. "Keh keh, it  _is_ a great opportunity to collect some samples-"

"Are you really going to bring troll poop back to our room?!" Akko exclaims. "I don't want to sleep in the same room as poop!"

"What would the feces be for?" Lotte asks. It isn't so much genuine curiosity as a way to gauge the danger of the potential concoction.

"Just the typical ointment for skin care."

Akko and Lotte sport a deadpan stare. Even Amanda and Constanze think it's too good to be true. The only one who doesn't seem phased is Jasminka, who has taken out another cracker to eat.

How that girl can eat in such a disgusting environment is something the others have chosen to not question anymore.

Sucy shrugs. "You know, the kind that melts upon impact?"

Akko nods. "Ah, I see, I see. That sounds about rig- YOU BETTER NOT USE THAT ON ME!"

" _ANYONE_ ," Lotte amends. "In fact, don't make that potion at all!!!"

Amanda grimaces. "Yikes. And I thought Constanze's inventions were crazy."

Constanze lifts up her safety goggles to glare at Amanda, horribly insulted that Amanda would even compare her own robotics to Sucy's potions.

Amanda scratches her head. "Not saying they're not cool or anything, just crazy. Like that boat thing that turns into a giant mecha that you're keeping underneath the school. That's pretty cool."

Satisfied with the answer, Constanze nods and goes back to cleaning the restroom. Amanda and Jasminka decide to do what they can as well. Meanwhile, the red team continue to argue until Finneran comes in to yell at them.

* * *

Yuzu gives her mother another hug. "You'll keep me updated on Dad's condition?"

Mrs. Mutouzeki squeezes her daughter. "Of course. Just don't worry so much, okay? We both want you to have fun over there. Your happiness comes first and foremost." She leans back and wipes the tears from Yuzu's eyes with her finger. "Look how far you've come in such a short time. You've already learned how to fly! You can't keep improving like this if you hold yourself back."

Yuzu shakes her head. "Not if Dad can't see it too. I'm going to do my best to see if I can learn about magic that can cure illnesses. There might even be someone I can ask."

"Is it the young lady you've been looking up to?"

"Not Akko-senpai directly. But I think her friend Diana might be able to help. I heard the House of Cavendish, the family she comes from, specialize in healing magic. She's already considered a genius and she's done things that surpass many of the professors at Luna Nova. Maybe she'll be able to help Dad."

"Yuzu, that sounds great!"

Yuzu nods. "Yeah. I'll make sure to ask her as soon as I get back and see her. She seems like a nice person too." She sighs into her mother's shoulder. "I guess I should get right to it then."

Her mother gives her one last embrace. "Have a safe flight back. Be safe; magic can be fun like your friend says, but she's also shown that it can be dangerous, right?"

Yuzu nods. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to be careful!"

Yuzu mounts her broom and casts  _Tia Freyre_. Floating in the air, she glances back at her mother for one final goodbye.

"Do you have everything?" Mrs. Mutouzeki asks.

"Yep! Thanks for getting me a jar of umeboshi, by the way. I'm sure Akko-senpai will love it!"

The older woman chuckles. "Yes, I'm sure she will. You've only mentioned her love for those plums, oh, a hundred or so times?"

"Mom!" Yuzu whines. "She's the one who said that she can't live without them! They barely sell it over there! Which I can totally understand; the yuzu fruits over there can't compare to the ones we have here at home."

Mrs. Mutouzeki chuckles. "Maybe that'll give you more reason to come back. No, I'm just kidding. You have a new life over there. Now, off you go. Remember, have fun but be careful!"

Yuzu waves goodbye to her mother one last time. "Bye, Mom! And I will!"

Yuzu flies into the leyline terminal that will take her to Glastonbury, where the Glastonbury Tor can connect her to Luna Nova. She once again thanks Akko for reviving the Yggdrasil and making travel more convenient. It would have been a greater hassle for her mother to drop her off at the airport for her to take a plane to England, then a taxi to the Tor, and  _then_ entering the leyline.

Yggdrasil's revival ensured a greater number of leylines throughout the world. The magic community - in particular the Department of Leylines in the Ministry of Magic - spent almost a year understanding their routes and establishing terminals for witches and other spellcasters. Now the leylines work like airports; a rather convenient development for the magic community.

But like how smaller airports often do not have direct flights to destinations, there isn't a leyline that takes every departure point to every destination. For example, Yuzu's hometown requires her to take a connecting leyline to Glastonbury first before switching to the Glastonbury Tor to arrive at Luna Nova.

(Beats sitting in economy class for half the day at least.)

The wind begins to pick up. A particularly powerful gust slaps against Yuzu as she's flying through the leyline.

Yuzu yelps, barely controlling her broom. "What the- Why's it so jerky today?!"

Yuzu twists and turns her broom to go with the strange current rather than fight it. But the magic within the leyline starts to pick up. Tendrils of energy thrash against her flight, throwing her off balance.

"Ngh-  _whaaaaa_!!!"

The whirlwind refuses to cease. It keeps growing in intensity the more Yuzu tries to keep herself steady.

(It's like the more I try the more it's getting worse! But I can't just. Give. UP!)

Yuzu jerks her broom to try to control her flight. The sudden movement causes some of her luggage to fall off the broom handle.

"Oh no! My stu- WAHHHH!!!"

In her distraction, she fails to see a powerful tendril of magic about to hit her. It slaps against her entire form, destroying her broom and throwing her off. The energy wraps around her as she's falling, taking her into the tornado of magic leading her away from her destination.

Into the abyss of dangerous territory.

As Yuzu's vision fades to black, she swears she hears a woman cackling in the distance. A dark, reverberating voice that echoes within her skull and pierces into her soul.

* * *

Yuzu doesn't realize she's stopped screaming until she sits up panting.

"Wha- Uh, oh. Wow, where am I?"

Yuzu rubs her eyes. But no matter how hard she tries to clear her vision, she still finds herself in the middle of a dense forest surrounded by winding trees. The thick air constricts her lungs, making it difficult for her to breathe. No sunlight filters into the forest due to the thick fog which covers the sky down to the earth. Though, it's thin enough for her to clearly see the characteristics of the trees inhabiting this forest.

Sweat trickles down her pale face. Her breath hitches in her throat.

(Those… kind of look like faces…)

She shakes her head.

(I think I'm going crazy!!)

She stands up and dusts herself off. "Still though, where is this?"

With no other choice, Yuzu decides to walk around to see if she can gather anymore information. A broken broom means she can't fly to escape even if she could. Not to mention she can't see any leyline terminals in sight.

"A weird forest… I feel like I heard about it before…"

Although she is only whispering, her own voice sounds like it's coming from a megahorn within this dead silence. There is strangely no signs of life within the forest. She can only her hear own panting and the twigs crunching beneath her feet.

The longer she walks, the more Yuzu decides that she doesn't like the place. She's certain now that she isn't going crazy; the trunks of the trees  _do_ look like human faces are embedded within the bark. She's also seen enough scary movies to guess this is the perfect opportunity for a jump scare. Yet nothing ever pops out.

It's almost as if the forest is dead. The only life might only be in the trees themselves. But also the-

Yuzu's feet take her into a clearing. The trees spread out and reveal a large pattern drawn on the forest floor. Yuzu recognizes it as a complicated summoning circle inscribed with circles and various other lines. Judging from the color, and the smell as she comes closer, whoever drew it used blood to create the symbols.

At the center of the summoning circle is a giant, withered tree that towers over the rest of the forest. Its body is curved so that it looms over where she stands. But that isn't what she is fixated on.

Yuzu's gaze remains on the purple bud growing in front of the withered tree. The sprout is about the size of Luna Nova's philosopher's stone; bigger than her, but not by much.

An intangible force draws her in, compelling her to take a few hesitant steps forward onto the summoning circle. Once her feet have touched the dried sigils, Yuzu begins to walk normally toward the bud growing in the soil.

Yuzu rubs her eyes, her pupils flicker in contrast to her dimming purple irises. She clears her vision, and realizes that she is now standing right in front of the sprout.

Yuzu gasps. "Wow… pretty…"

An unknown force compels her to kneel down and reach for the bud. The tips of her fingers graze against the soft texture of the sprout.

 _Thump_.  _Thump_.

Her hand freezes with her fingertips barely touching the flower.

(…Eh…?)

Before she can question the strange sensation further, Yuzu's vision shifts from blurry to pitch black. Her mind is such a haze that she doesn't realize that the bud had just opened itself like a Venus Flytrap and engulfed her whole.

Yuzu's eyelids flicker in the dark. Her mind tries to force her body to fight against the strange lethargy overtaking her senses. Nothing she does helps; it seems like the more she tries to fight, the quicker she loses herself. Within a few short minutes, Yuzu completely loses the energy to stay awake.

(I… I need to… What did I need to do…?)

She closes her eyes as the rest of her body falls limp. At the same time, the bud grows until it is nearly double its original size. The blooms once it stops growing, the purple pedals opening and a soft, yellow light expanding from the center of the flower.

Lying at the center of the flower is a sleeping young girl with long, black hair. The girl sits up as she begins to awaken. Her eyes flicker as she adjusts to consciousness. A red rim glimmers around her purple irises and pupils.

" **Ah."**

The young girl jumps off the flower bed and fixes her clothes. Once she is presentable, she clenches her fists to test her form. The red rims around her irises and pupils fade as the Witch of Corruption masks the effects of her soul adjusting within her new container.

The girl smiles, one oozing malicious intent. It is far from the kind smile that this girl would normally give. The Demon Witch knows she will have to keep that in mind. Otherwise, someone may catch this mismatch.

"Well, this body is not the most ideal. But it will do for now."

Goetia lifts her head toward the sky, looking forward to the beginning of her revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we've gotten to actual plot now. RIP Yuzu.
> 
> Did I set up an OC just to have her killed for the big villain? Nooooooooo.
> 
> Aaaaannnnnd that's the end of Act V. I am still in the process of writing Act VI. The good news is I'm almost done; just another 3 chapters. The bad news is I'm not going to post anymore chapters until I finish them XD Why? It gives me enough time to look over them later.
> 
> BUT! I am not going to just drop off the face of this earth. One month. I give myself one month to complete the last 3 chapters of Act VI. So this story is going to go on hiatus for just one month. And if I haven't finished them by then, I'll just post anyway and hope I am at least _almost_ done LOL.
> 
> Oh, but since I don't have anymore writings backlogged, I legitimately am going on a fullblown hiatus for a month. So see you all then :]
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> Yuzu's full name can be written as 無刀関 ゆず. Separating each kanji, her surname can mean "nothingness" "sword" and "connection/gateway." Her given name, yuzu, is a type of citrus fruit.
> 
> This may or may not be important information :P


	7. Act VI.i. Grasp of the Witch - Midnight_Tryst_3.0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Diana's life returns to tumult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M ALIVE. And so is Goetia lol.

Retrieving the girl's broom isn't difficult. She only has to retrace the girl's steps back to where she first landed in the forest to search around the area for her belongings. It doesn't take long to find everything Yuzu brought with her.

Mutouzeki Yuzu. That is the name of the girl who is her current host.

Goetia closes her - Yuzu's - eyes and takes a moment to consolidate her memories beyond the last few hours. Her eyebrows twitch as she continues to search through her and the girl's shared mind. The further back in Yuzu's memories she pries, the harder it is to restrain herself from projecting out of this body and returning to her tree.

The girl has minimal magical talent. Worst of all, she does not come from a family with magical background; she is the first spellcaster of her line. She is kind and hardworking with a pure dream to learn magic at Luna Nova Academy to help her family and surpass her hero, Atsuko Kagari-

Goetia's hands freeze as she bends down to pick up a sealed jar of umeboshi. Numerous images of Yuzu's idol flit through her mind. Of all the memories, Goetia comes to the conclusion that she has seen this girl somewhere before. Not through Mutouzeki Yuzu's memories but her own experience.

There was someone crying with their head bent down toward the forest floor. Goetia remembers she would have revelled in her pain if not for the truth only she knew. That single light of hope stemming from the very necklace Atsuko Kagari clutched in her hands.

(An indirect relation to Diana Cavendish… Perhaps this Mutouzeki Yuzu can be useful after all.)

Diana Cavendish is alive and attending Luna Nova. That narrows down her search by one. She will need to locate Fei Wong Reed, but that should not take long once she is out of the Arcturus Forest with easier access to information.

Goetia scowls at the small jar in her hand and wills the entire container to spontaneously combust in purple flames. She clenches her fist once nothing remains but ash.

(Not a bad internal magic network; rather well balanced for a witch from nothing. Yes, this will do for now.)

Beggar's cannot be choosers. Goetia has no way of knowing when another suitable container will approach the Arcturus Forest. Along with its obscure location within the leylines, it seems the area has been blocked off with a strong barrier after she was awakened. It took months for her to discreetly analyze the barrier without alerting the casters of her intentions. Otherwise, it would be impossible for Goetia to lure any human into this forest. Even now as she readies to leave, she must take caution to not give away any abnormalities. If the casters of the barrier realize that someone has broken through it, they will surely send reinforcements to investigate. She can simply exterminate them, but that requires too much work at her current level of strength.

Though the frustration of spending all this time and effort, only to be awarded with a mediocre witch with no history to her name, almost entices her to massacre a few humans regardless of her current state.

(No, this is good enough. Her mundanity allows me to blend in with the rest of the humans. They will not suspect me, giving me time to restore my strength.)

After gathering all of Yuzu's belongings, Goetia places them on Yuzu's broom and mounts it for flight. She tightens her grip on the handle as she reminds herself how to use basic magic.

(It has been awhile since I have cast  _Tia Freyre_.) Goetia chuckles. (No, it has been awhile since I have relied on you for my source of power, Yggdrasil.)

Goetia looks up toward the sky at the barely perceptible leylines which span the entire globe.

"In the end, it is because of their unwillingness to erase your existence that I may live. Foolish."

The winds spiral around her as she channels magic from the world through herself and into the broom. The energy circulates this way to power the miracle of flight.

"Fly, my broom." She tightens her grip on the handle, feeling the coarse wood cut into her delicate palms. " _ **Tia Freyre**_."

Yuzu's feet fall limp as the broom rises and levitates above the ground. She directs the broom up toward the sky.

"Open, gateway to Luna Nova."

Yuzu flicks her wrist and creates a tear in the sky that serves as a temporary opening into the leyline.

Before entering, Yuzu takes one last look back toward the giant, withered tree and the decaying purple flower that once housed the soul of the Demon Witch.

Yuzu enters the leyline heading to Luna Nova. The moment she leaves behind her prison, Goetia the Demon Witch and Yuzu the novice witch could not longer be distinguished. They were not separate entities, but now one existence known as 'Mutouzeki Yuzu.'

* * *

The table of nine little witches is silent, save for the occasional clatter of utensils against dish and the rumble of Akko's throat.

"Mmmnnnnnn…" Akko lifts her spoon and stabs it back into her mashed potatoes. "Nnnnnnnn."

Diana rubs the handle of the fork between her fingers. She's done this long enough that even she catches onto the habit. But right now, she would rather focus on the cold metal in her grasp than the incoherent mumbling of her girlfriend.

"NnnnnNNNNNNnnnn…" Akko mixes the potatoes with her spoon, gradually picking up the pace.

Lotte glances at Akko with worry. "Um…"

"NnnnnNNNNNNNNGGGGHHHHH!" Akko circles the spoon with too much force, accidentally flinging it across the table. The sludge of potato lands splat on Amanda's face.

Amanda wipes her face with her hand and leaps onto her feet. "Okay, that's it! I'm gonna kill ya, Akko!"

Akko continues to stare at the food left on her tray, seemingly ignoring Amanda's outburst. Her lack of response forces Lotte to stand and hold back Amanda herself.

"Wait! Akko didn't mean to do that!" Lotte turns her head back while keeping her hands on Amanda's shoulders. Now that her arm's healed, she can actually keep her rowdy friends in check. Though her height difference doesn't help. "Right, Akko?"

Akko continues to ignore them. This time, she picks up her fork and stabs it into her porkchop.

Amanda's face starts to turn red in anger. Before she can blow her fuse and break free from Lotte's grip, Diana places her hand on the fist Akko has clenched around her fork. She gives Akko's hand a small squeeze.

"What is bothering you, Akko?" Diana asks.

Akko seemingly breaks out of her reverie. "Huh? Nothing is bothering me! Nothing at all!"

"Oh, so you'll listen to your girlfriend but not me or your own roommate? You shady little shit!" Amanda growls.

Diana sighs. "Amanda's face and that porkchop say otherwise. You should apologize to Amanda before she decides to flip this table."

Akko turns her body halfway to regard Amanda. She bows her head for half a second.

"Sorry," she says with a blank expression.

"What kind of piss-poor apology is tha-?!"

Barbara finds herself getting hit by a sudden idea. "Hey, has that freshman from before returned yet? She's supposed to join you guys for detention tonight, right?"

Akko's expression falls once more. She returns to brooding, much to Diana's annoyance.

Barbara gives herself a mental high five. (Just like I thought.)

"You're worried about your protege?" Hannah scoffs. "She just went home for a few days, right? She'll be back and showering you with praises before you can finish naming all the Nine Olde Witches."

"I just have a bad feeling," Akko grumbles.

"That's probably the school food upsetting your stomach," Sucy says. "That's why all of us - even Diana - have to spend an extra ten minutes in the bathroom after every meal."

Diana blanches. "How did you…?"

"Constanze noticed a few months ago. We traded information; she tells me something I can use to blackmail others while I test run one of her inventions to circumvent the professors from watching her all the time."

Diana looks from Sucy to Constanze. "There… are many questions I wish to ask. Though I am not sure I want to know the answers to them…"

"Even Diana isn't immune to Luna Nova's crappy food, huh?" Amanda sits back down, her anger dissipating for the time being.

"Their budget allows them to buy food that looks better. But I guess they couldn't pay for better cooks," Constanze writes on her sign.

Jasminka puts down her utensils and wipes her mouth clean with a napkin. She covers her mouth to hide a small burp.

The others stare wide-eyed from her tray of empty plates to the girl's satisfied smile.

Jasminka's smile falls when she notices their stares. "Hm? Are you all not going to eat?"

"Ah, right. There  _is_ someone who is immune to this death trap," Amanda says with a twitching eyebrow. "Seriously Jasna, what are your intestines made out of?"

"You'd really have to be something higher than a human to digest this stuff," Hannah agrees.

* * *

Across the dining hall, a certain red-haired professor sneezes before she can finish her bite of potatoes. She takes a napkin and wipes her nose.

"Ara, am I getting allergies at this time of year?" Ursula takes another bite of her food. "Hm, the chefs have really outdone themselves again! I have to remember to thank them after I'm done eating."

* * *

"The school's food aside, if you're so worried about that girl, why don't you ask her how she's doing yourself?" Amanda points behind her with her thumb. "Isn't that her with her teammates?"

"EH?!" Akko whirls around and accidentally splatters her food all over the table. Her porkchop smacks against Hannah's chest, her juice spills over Barbara, and the rest of her plates flies into the air and strikes against Lotte and Amanda, knocking out the latter.

Akko leaps out of her seat and rushes toward the purple team, leaving the rest of the girls behind in her mess. Diana doesn't even have time to admonish Akko.

"Yuzu! Yuzu!"

When Yuzu herself doesn't react, the one with curly hair looks back and pokes Yuzu's shoulder after recognizing Akko. "Hey, Akko is calling for you." She points to the incoming brunette.

"Hm?" Yuzu stops and follows Shuri's pointing finger. "Oh. Hel- Hi, Akko." As an afterthought, she flashes a smile and adds a quick, "Senpai."

Akko blinks and slowly lowers her hand, her enthusiasm going down with it. "Um…" Akko shakes her head and pulls back some of her previous energy. "How was your trip back? Is your family okay?"

"Oh, that? Yes, everything went well." Yuzu pauses to frown, as if thinking something over for a moment. "Everything… everything is fine! Dad… Yeah, Dad's recovering in the hospital while Mom watches over him. They keep telling me not to worry but…" Yuzu forces herself to huff. "Kind of hard not to, you know? I'm their daughter. Of course I'm going to worry."

Akko exhales. "That's good. Not that your dad staying in the hospital is good. I mean that everything went well. I hope his condition gets better."

"I… Me too."

"Say, you guys want to sit with us?" Akko asks. She points to their trays of food in their hands. "You guys need a place to sit, right? We have a few open seats."

"Are you sure?" all three members of the purple team ask.

Akko huffs. "I keep telling you guys that it's okay for you to join us. Why is it so weird?"

"Maybe it's normal for Yuzu - who's just too shy to barge in without your permission every time - but we're just nobodies," Hyunji says. "We barely know anyone else besides each other."

Akko opens her mouth in an oh. When she understands what Hyunji means, her mouth morphs into a dazzling smile. "Well, we can be friends now, right? Then it won't be awkward to sit with us!"

Hyunji and Shuri are left speechless.

Yuzu chuckles. "Sasuga Akko-senpai. I can see why the Claiomh Solais deemed you worthy enough to wield it."

"Huh? What does that have to do with anything?" Akko asks.

Yuzu tenses. "Nothing! Let's- Let's sit down then. My arms are getting sore holding this tray up."

Akko leads the purple team back to her table. At this point, the rest of the girls have already tidied up the mess she left earlier and are once more presentable.

Akko notices two members missing. "Where's Jasminka and Constanze?"

"They went to throw away  _your_ trash. Geez, can you be any more of a dunce?" Hannah huffs. "Look, the freshman is fine. You overreacted for no reason. Again."

"I can't even be worried for my friend?!"

"At least control yourself. Don't make it a problem for everyone else," Barbara says.

Diana sighs. "This is why I always advise you to-" A shiver runs down her spine, interrupting her thought process.

Nothing physically touches her. Yet Diana feels  _something_ trying to grasp what she can only describe as her existence. As if an intangible hand perverdes her soul, trailing invisible fingers down her spine or across her skin.

The source of it comes from the black-haired girl staring at her wide-eyed.

For a moment, Diana swears she sees a hint of red surrounding Yuzu's pupils and purple irises.

"Diana?"

"Yuzu?"

The concerned voices of the girls snaps Diana and Yuzu back to focus. They both simultaneously take a deep breath. Neither of the two realize they had stopped breathing for almost ten seconds.

Yuzu's arms lower her tray. "I lost my appetite. I think I'll return to my room now."

Without another word, Yuzu dips her head down so her bangs cover her darkened eyes. She stalks out of the kitchen after disposing of her food. The strange behavior leaves Hyunji and Shuri speechless while leaving the others simply confused.

Akko yells a quick, "See you at detention!" before Yuzu is out of sight.

"What was that all about?" Amanda wonders.

"Diana? Are you okay?" Barbara asks.

Diana places a hand over her chest. She is certain Yuzu was staring intently at her for whatever reason. Yet the gaze felt wrong. She may not be as close to the freshman as Akko, but the nagging feeling in the back of her mind tells her that there is something wrong with Yuzu. Something… familiar.

Exactly what and from where she cannot determine.

"Diana?" Barbara asks again.

Diana shakes her head. "I… I'm not sure. Though I should be asking whether  _Yuzu_ is alright."

"Yeah, is she okay?" Akko asks Yuzu's teammates. "She seems a little off today."

"To tell you the truth, Yuzu hasn't been the same since she came back from visiting her family," Shuri says. "Yuzu keeps telling us that everything's fine. But it's hard to believe when she keeps making expressions like… well, what you saw."

"Yeah… I've never seen her look like that before."

"Well, it's not like we know Yuzu that well anyway. If  _you_ say it's weird then it's definitely out of character for her," Hyunji grumbles.

"Hyunji!" Shuri berates.

"Wait, what is  _that_  supposed to mean?" Akko asks.

"It's nothing against you guys. It's just the truth."

Hyunji states this with malice coated in every letter. But the hostility is not directed at the girls. Rather, it is addressing the circumstance itself.

Hyunji shakes her head. "Never mind. Just forget it. Shuri, let's go find Yuzu and make sure she eats."

Shuri follows Hyunji out of the cafeteria, only taking some of the heavy atmosphere with them. The rest of the witches sit in awkward silence for a few more moments until Amanda speaks first.

"So what was that all about? What crapped in their potions?" Amanda asks.

"I mean, I can kind of see where… um, Hyunji was it? I can kind of see where she's coming from," Barbara says. "Yuzu seems to hang out with us more ever since she got closer to Akko. It was becoming so often that it's a miracle she ever saw those two outside of sleeping."

"I ask them to join us too, though. They just don't always say yes," Akko argues.

Hannah scoffs. "Well duh. They don't have a reason to push boundaries; not like Yuzu does. Yuzu practically worships the ground you walk on. She'll definitely push past her awkwardness just to be with you."

Amanda snorts. "Worshipping the ground she walks on."

"I think that's over exaggerating it," Lotte says.

"It's an accurate description at least," Sucy replies.

"Or something close to it," Hannah says. "Anyway, the other two don't have a reason besides the fact that they're being left out. If they're still feeling awkward after the first couple of times of trying to mingle, they're just going to stop trying, you know?"

"But you and Barbara were able to fit in just fine when Diana started hanging out with us more," Akko points out.

Constanze and Jasminka rejoin the table. Amanda leans over and whispers to them to fill them in on the conversation.

"That's different," Hannah replies. " _We_ don't have that awkwardness because we know how much of an idiot you actually are."

"I guess- Wait, you just insulted me again!"

At Diana's displeased stare, Barbara adds to amend, "We have history with you guys since the first year, something those girls don't. And even with our past behavior, we also had Diana to coax us into your group and try to change our behavior. But it doesn't look like Yuzu was doing any of that. She was so fixated on getting closer to you that she forgot to think about anyone else she was leaving behind."

"Actually worshipping the ground you walk on. Congrats Akko, you've sure got yourself a die hard fan," Amanda comments.

"Always causing trouble, even indirectly," Sucy says.

But rather than take it to heart and overthink it, Akko's attention focuses on the blonde who has been quiet since the two witches of the purple team left. Akko chooses to push any guilt to the back of her mind and first cover Diana's tightly clenched fist.

"Diana? You're thinking a lot again."

Diana shakes her head to clear her stupor. "Yes, I was just… thinking. It is most likely nothing."

"Usually you wouldn't think that hard if it's nothing."

"Yeah, is something bothering you?" Barbara asks.

Diana directs her gaze toward the dining hall exit, as if searching for the source of her unease.

Finally, Diana closes her eyes and and puts it all to rest. "It is most likely nothing."

She repeats the phrase to herself until she believes it. Even after the others drop the subject and finish their food with quiet restlessness, she continues to convince herself to ease the tension that has coiled within her core.

It doesn't succeed. The discomfort does not abate even after attending the rest of the day's classes. Not for Diana, nor for any of the others.

* * *

The purple team's room is the first option that Yuzu decides to go to immerse herself in her thoughts alone. She makes sure to walk as fast as possible without breaking into a run to reach the dormitory. Once she's inside, she locks the door and sits down on her bottom bunk to think.

(Diana Cavendish is alive. Diana Cavendish is alive.  _Diana Cavendish is alive_.)

Yuzu's lips pull up into a grin. A chuckle rumbles in her throat. Soft at first, then gradually increasing in volume until she is outright guffawing. She falls back onto her back and continues to laugh.

"Yes, yes, that's good, that's good! This wouldn't be fun if you left this world before I could do it myself!" Yuzu covers her eyes with the back of her arm as she catches her breath. "Hah, I have forgotten what joy feels like. Yes, this is a good turn of events."

(Fei Wong Reed is dead; that I cannot change. But as long as my true target is still alive, I will always have the opportunity to amuse myself until fully plunging the descendant of Beatrix into the depths of hell.)

"Heh. She truly does resemble that altruistic wenc-"

The doorknob jiggles. Yuzu sits up and listens to the barely audible muffled voices on the other side of the door.

"Huh, it's locked?" Shuri notes.

"Guess we know where Yuzu is," Hyunji says.

"She probably wants to be alone. We should come back later."

"Screw that. This is  _my_ room too! And this distancing has to stop sooner or later."

The doorknob glows green as Hyunji casts a spell to turn the lock. Once that's accomplished, Hyunji throws open the door and stalks into the room.

Yuzu regards them with confusion. "Is there something wrong?"

Hyunji glares down at her roommate. "Oh yeah, I have a lot of things I want to say to you."

"Hyunji…" Shuri whispers meekly.

"No, I'm sick of this. It's about time we put it straight out."

Yuzu frowns. "If this is about earlier, I'm sorry for overreacting. I just didn't feel well. Don't worry so much, alright? I'm okay now-"

"We're supposed to worry!" Hyunji retorts. Her face flares red as she barely suppresses her anger. "We're your teammates, damn it. Not any of those guys, not Akko, us! So rely on us some more!"

Shuri uses some of Hyunji's anger to power her own confidence. "That's right, Yuzu. We're supposed to help you. Why don't you ever let us?"

Yuzu sighs. "I'm  _fine_  though. I don't need you two to worry because there's nothing to worry about. You're both just over exaggerating. I'll take a nap and be fine in time for dinner."

"How are we over exaggerating if you make a face like  _that_?" Shuri challenges.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Shuri shakes her head. "You're acting weird. Did something happen when you went home? Be honest. We're your  _friends_. Just tell us!"

"And I'm saying that there is nothing to tell!"

Hyunji holds out her arm to stop Shuri from protesting further. Her expression loses some of its anger and settles on a dark scowl. "Fine. If you want to play this game, then that's fine by us. We're getting nowhere like this. Let's go, Shuri."

"But…"

Hyunji pauses with her hand grasping the doorknob on her way out. Her shoulders slump in defeat. "We're not needed. I think Yuzu's made that clear enough."

Hyunji storms out the door without a glance back. Shuri looks back and forth between Yuzu and empty space before deciding to go after Hyunji. She figures Yuzu won't be leaving the room; finding Hyunji before she does anything rash is what she should do.

The door clicks shut. Only the silence remains to keep Yuzu company; though she prefers it this way.

(Then there is that Atsuko Kagari. I am ashamed that I took the body of someone who reveres such a  _middling_ witch. Though I suppose if she was able to wield the Claiomh Solais as she did then she may have potential to prove me wrong.)

As Yuzu replays the events that occured in the dining hall, she remembers a particular part of the conversation that she had not paid attention to at first but appears to be important.

"… Why do I have detention?"

* * *

Winter draws in a chill that seeps through skin and into the bones. Dark clouds often cover the night sky, obscuring the moon even when it is at its greatest brightness. Perhaps it will snow soon.

Diana tries not to regret choosing to stay out so late without her cloak.

It is late enough that Hannah and Barbara should have already gotten ready for bed. It does not mean that they are necessarily asleep; the two girls have taken a habit to wait for Diana to return to their room in one piece before they can rest easy. It is a new habit that Diana cannot dissuade them from no matter how hard she tries.

The decisions she made in the Arcturus Forest did not only affect Akko. Diana often forgets how Hannah and Barbara have settled into her life as well. Sometimes it is easy for Diana to forget that she has more loved ones than before. She tries to remember; and when she can't then Akko or one of the others will remind her. But it is hard when her neural encoding doesn't seem to always have the capacity to accomodate for all of her memories.

Speaking of Akko…

(She and the others should have completed their detention for the night.) When Diana exhales, the contrast with the cold air allows her to see the manifestation of her warm breath. (Perhaps tonight will grant her sleep devoid of dreams, be it nightmares or not.)

Her footsteps echo lightly in the corridor. She is alone with nothing but the shadows as her company.

A minute twitch. Diana barely catches it from the corner of her eye. She would have missed it if her instincts weren't always so on edge from past experience.

Diana narrows her eyes. (Did the shadows just…? Or is it my imagination?)

The moon should not have moved in a way that can create such an effect. Such a movement is only possible if-

She is supposed to be alone with nothing but the shadows. That is both true and false.

Diana's eyes widen. But her understanding comes too late.

The temperature drops below freezing, forcing a shiver through her tensed spine. Her hands twitch by her side as she tries to work her motor system and grab her wand. All she manages is a tremble as memories remind her of a similar situation long past.

Diana couldn't move before. And she certainly cannot move now.

She remembers. She remembers this chill. She remembers this fear. All that is left is to wait for the caresses and what follows after.

It comes.

A dark mist creeps up from around her, enveloping her vision and senses in murky darkness. The shadows trail in not far behind. They dance and wave as iff goading her into their embrace. The mist grows denser; the shadows understand that she refuses their call.

The hands do not wait for her permission. They care not for her personal space, merciless in their assault against her sanity.

The familiar nausea hits her as one of the chilling palms caresses her cheek in greeting. Despite her shock, the repressed memories of her last experience with these shadows stimulate her hand to reach toward her sash for her wand.

Diana's breath clogs in her throat. A melodious siren filters through the mist. It is both familiar and not. All Diana knows is that her assailant this time is different from the first.

" **Now that won't do~"**

(Who-? Ngh!)

The shadows wrap around her wand and the hand reaching for it. The snare locks Diana's hopes to save herself.

Aileen Bradley had only wanted to test her spell; Aileen had no desire to actually prolong Diana's suffering or end her life. Aileen had curiosity but lacked hatred.

Whoever is responsible this time has no such intentions. The desire to harm and torture is saturated in the mist and the shadows that continue to snake around her body. Whoever is behind this has also foreseen her instinct to grab her wand.

Diana cannot save herself. There is no one in immediate distance who can save her. The shadows encroach ever closer.

The mist breathes against her neck, releasing a rasping voice dripping with malice, " **You are** _ **mine**_ **."**

The moment one of the shadow hands sinks through her flesh and bone to grasp her heart, her instincts flare to life. Fear and desperation push through what remains of her sanity in a last attempt to keep herself safe.

Her wand is inaccessible. Using wandless magic is out of the question. Then all that leaves her is her one unrestrained hand. Once frozen and twitching at her side, Diana wills it to reach up and stop the shadow from ending her life.

If anything, Diana can at least summon whatever strength she has to keep her assailant from crushing or tearing out her heart. If she doesn't try something, she will truly lose her life. If she dies, she will have broken her promise once more.

She refuses. She can't. She won't. She must live. If not for herself, then at least for Akko and everyone else who has supported her for all these years. There are people waiting for her, counting on her to accomplish her dreams. Diana will not allow herself to die  _now_.

With Akko's smile and warmth in her mind, Diana musters the strength to grasp the shadow protruding from her chest.

Flesh and shadow. Light and dark. Complete opposites come into contact, destroying a barrier neither knew existed. Nothing holds back the flood of memories and dreams from cascading into the opposite end of the connection. Two sets of existences flow in opposing directions toward the other.

The world comes to a halt.

"What is-?!"

" **YOU-!"**

The chill is gone, replaced by fire. She can't keep holding on. Lava. There is lava in her veins. It hurts to touch. Everything is sickening. She tries to release her hold. She can't. Not yet. Too much. Too much.

**The chill is gone, replaced by fire. She can't keep holding on. Lava. There is lava in her veins. It hurts too much. Everything is sickening. She tries to release her hold. She can't. Not yet. Too much. Too much.**

Screams. Pain. Hatred. Pride. Despair. Catastrophe. What are these feelings? She drowns in darkness.

**Laughter. Contentment. Love. Pride. Happiness. Peace. What are these feelings? She drowns in light.**

Colleagues who do not understand. Undeserving equals. Humans, nothing more than pests. Corpses upon corpses as she laughs and laughs at the suffering of others.

**A mother's love. A father's efforts. Friends who support her. Adults who care for her. A girlfriend beside her.**

Alone. She is alone. All there is is herself. Drown in power and madness.

**Stability, strong pillars. Whole and not destroyed.**

War. Famine. Death. Greed. Decay. I will destroy it all. Fools, you are all fools. Leave me, hate me, fear me  _as you should_. I will annihilate the pests who do not deserve to share what only I can hold-

**Understanding. Cooperation. Life. Sacrifice. I forgive. I remember. I love. My supports, my sanity. I promise to protect it all- all that is important to me. I risk my life to preserve this happiness-**

This is wrong. This is wrong this is wrong this IS wrong THIS IS wrong THIS IS WRONG  _THIS IS WRONG_  THIS IS wRoNg thIS Is WRonG tHiS Is wROn-

 **Get out. Get out get out get out get out get OuT GET OUT GET OUT** _ **GET OUT**_   **gET OUT geT oUT gEt OuT GE-**

The hand wretches out from Diana's chest. The mist and shadows withdraw, leaving only the girl in the corridor.

The world continues on.

Diana crashes onto her back once the shadows retreat. She cradles the hand that tried to hold the shadow, curling in on herself. Her wide eyes are dry and red but she refuses to blink. Every time she does she sees a neverending flash of chaos and destruction. She is powerless to stop these visions, just as she is powerless to save those clinging and begging for some sort of hope and salvation that she cannot give.

Breathe. In. Out. In. Out. In out in out in out in out in out in-

Hidden down the hall by the corner is another girl with long, raven hair with her hand resting on the wall. Her body heaves with much needed air as well. But she is able to right herself thanks to her anger overpowering her fear.

Unbeknownst to either of them that the unseen connection remains, an open gateway for only those who know to use it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry not sorry, Diana.
> 
> I sincerely apologize for the month long hiatus. However! I _am_ done with Act VI. To be honest I'm not entirely happy with it, but that's kind of my writer's block yelling at me XD
> 
> Big announcement: I've been accepted into graduate school! So that means starting July, I'll have even less time to write. I'm going to try to finish at least this story before that happens. Thanks to Act VI's completion, all I need is Act VII. I've already completed one chapter, so there's four more left. Shouldn't be too bad.
> 
> Is what I say but I have _no motivation to write_. Ugh.
> 
> Also, this story is going back to weekly updates. I feel kind of bad dragging this on haha. Weekly updates still gives me enough time to look over the chapters. There are _twelve_ in Act VI. When the heck did it get so long?!
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> Avery, Blair, and Mary are often said to be part of the purple team. I actually think their sashes look closer to the color violet than purple. Hell, even Avery's hair and eye color look different than her sash, and her hair and eye color are considered purple. So I'm headcanoning them as the violet team, while Yuzu is on the purple team.
> 
> According to the databook, the members of the current purple team look considerably older than the other students. So let's just say they've left and there's a new purple team, one of them being Yuzu XD


	8. Act VI.ii. Fear the Darkness of the Unknown - Edge_of_Sanity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which tensions remain high as something malicious breathes down their necks. And it isn't necessarily the Demon Witch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for nightmares and ensuing insomnia.

The first  _crash_ against the door startles Hannah and Barbara awake with simultaneous jolts. Despite the alarming wakeup call, their room remains oppressed in darkness and a brief moment of silence.

"Barbs," Hannah says, "did you hear-?"

Their bedroom door successfully bangs open this time, earning high pitched shrieks from the both of them. Whoever limps through the door doesn't consider their surprise, more focused on shutting the door and slamming her back against the door, door handle and all.

"Who the-?" Barbara flicks on the lights, " _Diana_?!"

Hannah and Barbara waste no time throwing their blankets to the side and rushing to Diana who's kneeling on the ground with her back against the door. Hannah makes one big leap to catch Diana before her head drops to their floor.

"What- What happened?! Diana?" Hannah turns Diana over, gasping when she feels the sweat drenching her uniform."

Barbara drops to her knees beside them. "I haven't seen Diana this shaken since- Was she attacked  _again_?!"

Hannah and Barbara's presences slowly bring Diana's consciousness back to clarity. Catching the last part forces her body away from Hannah in an attempt to prop herself up. The most she can manage is to hold her body up with one arm while her right is still cradled to her chest.

" _Again_?! What was it this time?!" Barbara cries.

"Nothing serious," Diana mutters through her clenched teeth.

"Don't-" Hannah huffs. "Would you quit that?! You're obviously not fine!"

"Seriously, Diana. Like what happened?" Barbara asks in a calmer voice. If they're going to try and get answers it's best to be calm.

Diana shakes her head, slowly regaining her control over her lungs. "I… I truly do not know."

"But you were attacked?" Barbara confirms. She helps Diana up onto their couch as Hannah runs to get a change of clothes and some other things.

Diana nods. "Shadows."

Barbara gasps. "Like last time?"

"No, not exactly the same." Diana's right hand clenches and unclenches against her chest. "The spellcaster behind the shadows was more malicious. I believe she truly aimed to kill me, unlike Aileen Bradley."

Hannah returns with Diana's nightgown and a cup of tea. "Wait, she? You saw who attacked you?"

"I did not. However-"

_Death. Decay. Destruction._

Diana clenches her eyes against the assault of images imbedded in her memories.

"-I am certain she is female."

"Who can it be?" Barbara wonders. "It can't be the previous Minister of Magic."

"Well, duh. She's dead for one thing." Hannah wracks her fist against her head. "Ahh! It doesn't matter! What we  _need_ to do is get Diana comfortable and off this floor!"

Barbara nods and begins helping Hannah lift Diana up and toward Diana's bed. "We should probably tell everyone else what happened. I can go to Lotte's room right now and let-"

"No, that won't be necessary," Diana cuts in. She quickly adds, "Not tonight. It is the dead of night. There is also the possibility that the assailant is still within this campus."

"If that's true then isn't it even  _more_ important that we tell someone about this?!" Hannah says.

Notifying others is a double edged sword. On one hand, more awareness allows everyone to increase their own protection and safety once they know the existence of danger. However, this knowledge may also bring attention to those who wouldn't have been targeted otherwise.

The possibility of the latter convinces Diana about the decision she has to make. It's the most she can ascertain at the moment. There isn't much she can do while her stability is barely held together.

Diana places her hand on Hannah's arm. Hannah barely suppresses a flinch from the claminess of Diana's skin.

"Not tonight," Diana repeats. "Not while they have the advantage of the dark and we are vulnerable. And… I would prefer not to worry anyone else with this anxiety, least of all Akko."

Hannah and Barbara look over the top of Diana's head to trade a silent conversation. Despite their worries, they know Diana has a point. Diana always has a point, even when she's a hair's breadth away from losing her sanity.

"Fine. But at least let us help you change and get settled in bed," Barbara says.

"And you're not allowed to disagree with us staying by your side for the night," Hannah adds. "There's someone obviously aiming for you. We're not stupid enough to leave you alone for more than a meter."

"You're going to have to settle with us since you won't let us get the  _actual_ person you're most comfortable with."

Diana prepares to argue, but realizes she has neither the comeback or the strength to rebuke their statements. So she lets Hannah and Barbara help her salvage what is left of her night.

The rest can wait until morning.

* * *

Or not.

Diana opens her eyes to a familiar landscape of green, blue, and white. It seems even dire events in the real world are not enough to prevent her from visiting these dreams.

Perhaps they induce it all the more.

"The shadows are growing,"

Diana hears her own voice speak behind her. As she expects when she turns around, Diana comes face to face with her own doppelganger of steel.

"They will not overtake me," Diana resolves.

Steel grates against steel as the other Diana raises her arm to rest her hand against her hip. "It isn't only yourself. If I understand that, then you must as well. The darkness enclosing around you is not limited to your internal strife. There is something separate craving your suffering."

"Are you worried for me? For us?" Diana cannot help but ask.

The wind is absent. All is silent except for their own voices and the occasional sound of grinding metal.

"Worried? No. Apprehensive? Perhaps. After all, I am the aspect of yourself who succumbs to guilt and pain. I of all your personas would be most susceptible to external forces that threaten your life. Just as I would be the first to notice the newfound shades in your heart; even before your main consciousness."

Black tendrils wrap around her legs, torso, arms, and neck. They emerge from the ground by the shadow cast by her own body. They tighten their hold just enough to constrict her, but not enough to cut off her breathing or blood flow.

"These are-?!"

"Not exactly the Shadow Hands. After all, you yourself are not able to invoke such ancient magic. These apparitions are simply what you are capable of conjuring."

The other Diana takes slow steps forward, only able to advance a step a second due to the limitations of her own body. As much as she tries, Diana can't avert her gaze from the droplets of blood that stain the green grass red with every step her doppelganger takes.

"Whoever or whatever paints you as its target has already done so. You cannot change that; you have been doomed since the first shadow caressed your body."

Diana grits her teeth. But the shadows hold firm no matter how much she struggles.

The other Diana pulls back her arm. "So I ask of you, Diana Cavendish, what do you plan to do to oppose your fate?"

The familiar steel sinks into her chest, drowning her replies in a mouthful of blood.

* * *

Sleeping is out of the question.

Her nightmares frequented before, but this is now on an entirely different scale. Ophelia's remedies as they are now have no effect. Not to mention that the dreams plague her at greater intensity and frequency.

Steel coupled with shadows. Darkness and consciousness bleeding into one another. Every time Diana closes her eyes - not even to sleep but just to rest her eyes - she will flash back to that landscape while her body is bound and her other self lunges forward to spear steel through her chest.

It happens often enough that Hannah and Barbara start taking turns keeping Diana awake until daybreak. As soon as the sun shines its first rays of light through their curtains, Hannah and Barbara waste no time getting everything ready to go. Hannah takes Diana to the headmistress while Barbara races to the red team's room to notify the person who would want to know about Diana's well-being the most.

Diana and Hannah don't even have an entire minute to explain the situation to Holbrooke once they arrive at her office before Akko slams open the door behind them.

"What…" Akko wheezes, leaning against the doorframe, " _What happened now_?!"

"Jennifer's dog, Akko!" Hannah gasps. "Do you really have to make such a scene?"

Akko ignores Hannah and storms into the office toward Diana. She takes Diana's hand into her own, immediately calming the minute shaking that Diana herself doesn't notice and couldn't stop.

"How'd you get here so fast anyway?" Hannah asks. "Barbara left to get you when we left the room and we just got here. Wait, where's Barbara?"

As Akko's breathing starts to calm down, the others start to hear the echoes of footsteps pounding against the ground. It grows louder and louder until two girls skid to a stop by the office entrance, one of them pulling a third girl to a halt along with her.

"We… we caught up…" Lotte gasps.

"You really had to drag me along the whole way too," Sucy huffs.

Barbara glares at Akko. "You… I said to wait! That doesn't mean to book it at the speed of sound!"

"You said Diana got attacked-"

"Yes, that is where Miss Cavendish and Miss England left off before you so rudely interrupted," Badcock says, taking her place beside Holbrooke.

Holbrooke coughs into her fist to gain control of everyone's attention. She glances to her other side at Finneran, who nods as a signal for her own alertness.

Holbrooke turns back to the group and says, "Now that we seem to all be here, please fill us in on the situation, Diana."

Diana clenches her hand around Akko's. Despite the fear and pain, Akko gives Diana's hand a reassuring squeeze back.

Diana tells them the terrors that plagued her night. From the shadowy assault on her way back to her room, to the night terrors that have only been exacerbated by the event. Hannah and Barbara include their own testimonies when they feel Diana glazes over some of the effects of the numerous tribulations.

By the end of her telling, Diana isn't sure who is gripping their hands tighter: her or Akko. The vice-like grip is the only indication that Akko - pale as a ghost - isn't going to pass out.

Finneran turns to an equally pale Holbrooke. "Headmistress…"

Holbrooke masks her concern well, save for her ashen complexion. She moves her intertwined hands down to her lap so none in the room can see her hands shaking. There is no need to add to the amount of apprehension stifling the room.

Holbrooke takes a calming breath and says, "Just as we did last year, I will increase the amount of security around the school and make sure any suspicious activity is reported. In the meantime, I am suspending your sentry duties until the threat is deemed nonexistent. Diana, are you unharmed?"

Diana's free hand comes up to grip her chest. "No, I was not injured."

(Physically.)

"I also suggest you always have someone by your side." Holbrooke eyes glances down at Diana and Akko's intertwined hands, as well as Hannah and Barbara moving closer to the couple. "Though it doesn't seem necessary for me to say. Until we can be certain who the culprit is, that is all I can do as of now."

"You are also excused from classes for the day," Finneran adds. Her eyes connect with Diana's, more so to examine the dark circles already forming beneath the poor girl's weary gaze. "Take the day to rest. Miss England and Miss Parker, you two are excused from your classes as well."

Hannah and Barbara nod together, the determination to have Diana actually rest overcoming their immediate concern and fear for their friend. They would have stood by their friend's side if one side isn't already occupied.

Speaking of…

"I'm staying with Diana too," Akko declares.

Diana shakes her head. "Akko, there is no need to worry. I… will be sure to rest with Hannah and Barbara. You should not have to miss the day for-"

Akko gives Diana's hand another firm squeeze. "You're more important than classes. It's not like I'll be able to pay attention anyway."

"She has a point," Sucy remarks. "Not that Akko pays attention in class on any other day. Might as well just give her the excuse to not waste her time."

"That-" Badcock furrows her brows. "Actually, Miss Manbavaran has a point. Miss Kagari, you're excused for the day as well."

"We'll make sure to take notes for you guys," Lotte says. By we she mainly means herself; Sucy's notes, while not nonexistent nor illegible, is often likened to an arcane tome only comprehensible to herself.

Holbrooke gives the girls her best reassuring smile. "Then, you girls should return to your rooms to get as much rest as you can. Oh! It  _is_ time for breakfast. I'm assuming you all haven't eaten yet?"

On cue, a loud growl permeates through the office. Akko gingerly rubs the source of the sound.

"Some food sounds nice right now…" Akko mumbles.

The students take their leave. The remaining professors watch them exit the office before turning to one another.

"Who could the perpetrator be this time?" Badcock wonders. "For Diana Cavendish to be targeted  _again_. How many people have a vendetta against  _one_ teenage girl?!"

"The only one capable of such antediluvian shadow magic should be deceased," Finneran says. "Could there be anyone else with this ability?"

Holbrooke shakes her head. "Not that I am aware of. Though I will consult with the Ministry about this matter. Their records may provide us with some information."

"But you will not inform the Ministry of Diana's assault?"

Holbrooke's solemn eyes fixate on the door, searching for someone who is no longer in the room.

"No, Diana doesn't need anymore complications. She is already under their watch thanks to the method of her revival. If the Ministry knows that Diana's life was threatened, they will use that as a reason to impose more scrutiny on her."

Finneran follows Holbrooke's gaze. "Do you ever miss our peaceful days, Headmistress?"

The answer comes without hesitation.

"I think about them every day, Professor Finneran. Ah… those quiet days…"

* * *

(I messed up.)

Yuzu scowls as she stalks through the hallway, ignoring any girls loitering about and only repeating those three words in her head.

(I messed up. I messed up. I messed up. I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up-)

The only time Yuzu turns her focus to the outside world is when she enters the library. And only then it is to make sure the librarian doesn't notice her head toward the back of the library and pull out  _Cases of Possession: Volume 3_  to open a secret entrance leading to a hidden chamber.

Yuzu doesn't wait for the bookshelf to right itself, already making her way down the long, winding staircase.

(I messed up I messed up. I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up. I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up. I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up I messed up-)

She stops in front of a stone table and slams her hands down.

"But  _why_?! And  _how_?!"

She should have been able to take Diana Cavendish's life that night. It should have been child's play to simply tease her before ripping out that child's heart. She had the upper hand the entire time.

Yet, Diana Cavendish had suddenly turned the tables on her by grabbing one of the shadow hands.

Yuzu swings her arm across the table, throwing a few of the books off the surface.

"How?! Someone of her inexperience shouldn't be able to touch my shadows, let alone affect it!"

One shaky arm finds purchase on the cool stone of the table as the other covers her face.

Whenever she closes her eyes, unwelcome visions of the prior night assault the Demon Witch. The more she tries to purge them, the more they push to the forefront of her consciousness. Such extreme difference encroaching on her own existence cannot be forgotten so easily.

Goetia hasn't encountered such pride, such tumult, such  _altruism_ since-

"Damn you, Beatrix. Even in death you find a way to ruin my life."

But if it's hard for her to shake off the consequence of the events of the previous night, then that means it must be burdening Diana as well. That thought lifts her spirits somewhat.

"How troublesome. I suppose if killing you was this easy I wouldn't be so excited about it."

Regaining her composure, Yuzu replaces the books and items she had knocked over back onto the table. Her hand lingers on the last book, a grimoire titled  _List of Known Demons_   _and Their Potential Catalysts_.

(This body allows me to blend in with humans, but it also cannot keep me hidden forever. I will be easy to spot if anyone notices even the slightest trace of malice.)

She places the book on the table and flips to the first tab, opening the book to the chapter titled "Purgatorio." Yuzu's delicate fingers trace over the text inscribed on the pages, caressing each letter as if they were her children.

"The solution is to use methods that cannot be traced back to me. What child's play."

* * *

"This is terrible," Jasminka says as soon as Akko and Diana have left the table.

The others nod in agreement. They don't need an elaboration to know what Jasminka is referring to.

"I haven't seen Diana look that disheveled in…" Amanda frowns, "ever, actually. She handled last year way better than  _this_. Now she's jumping at her own shadow! It'd be funny if they didn't literally try to kill her."

"At least she slept last year," Hannah says. "Fitfully, but at least she got to sleep. She can't even close her eyes without jolting back up a minute later."

"Even with Nurse Ophelia's medicine," Barbara adds solemnly.

"Why not ask for a stronger dose?" Constanze writes down and shows the board to the others.

Sucy is the one who answers. "Apparently the nurse already gave her the strongest she can make. She can't get anything better, so Diana had to ask  _me_ to find a solution."

"And how's that going?" Amanda asks, though she's already expecting the answer.

"Unless she wants me to kill her or put her in a coma, I don't have anything better either."

"Offfffff course." Amanda sighs and leans back in her chair with her arms tucked behind her head. "What about Akko? She looks just as crappy even though she wasn't the one attacked."

"Akko's always with Diana now. She hasn't come back to her room since Diana was attacked last week," Lotte says. She asks Diana's roommates, "Has she been sleeping?"

Barbara shakes her head. "Not really. She'll knock out from exhaustion, only to wake up whenever Diana accidentally falls asleep and jolts awake."

Lotte looks down at her hands wrapped around her cup of tea. "What are we going to do? At this rate the sleep deprivation is going to get to them before whoever is after Diana does."

"Do the professors have any more information?" Jasminka asks.

Hannah shakes her head. "From what we know, no. They're still looking for whoever attacked Diana. They don't even have an idea who that could be."

Amanda rights her chair and slams her fist down on the table, startling the occupants and a few of the tables around them. She pays them no heed. "Guess we got no choice. We gotta find the culprit ourselves."

"Hah? And how do you propose we do that?!" Hannah demands. "If the professors can't even find them-"

"Yeah well those old hags didn't even realize they were being cheated of Luna Nova's money until two years ago, so they're not the smartest on the block in the first place."

"Those  _old hags_ you say?" a chilling voice questions behind Amanda.

All seven girls stiffen in their seats. Eight heads tilt up to face the wrath of the woman radiating such irritation that they swear they see it manifest as an aura around the older woman.

Meanwhile, Amanda doesn't think she should even turn around at this point. She's ~~dead~~ doomed no matter what.

"Amanda O'Neil, see me after dinner. It seems this  _old hag_ needs to remind her student of  _respect_."

Professor Finneran's voice leaves no room for argument. Amanda's fate is sealed.

* * *

Everyone paying attention to the scene gives Amanda either pitying or exasperated glances. All except for one girl whose disinterest leads her to sit at an empty table by herself and paying no attention to the nearby commotion.

Instead, she immerses herself in her own thoughts.

(Lack of sleep? Most likely due to nightmares. I suppose psychological stress can be rather debilitating.)

Yuzu stops her spoon midway from reaching her mouth. She slowly lowers her arm as her thought process continues to run its course.

(Not just her own, but also that other girl's as well. Diana Cavendish and Atsuko Kagari. Those two are connected, perhaps the connection even too strong. As one worries about the other, their stress increases exponentially. In that case, it is also possible to use… other methods to inflict damage. Ah, how fatal love can be.)

Yuzu swirls her potatoes with her spoon.

(My Demons  _do_ require containers to exist in this world. Though procuring Atsuko Kagari specifically will be difficult, considering she is almost always by Diana Cavendish. And there is also the problem of her friends…)

The table suddenly shakes, startling Yuzu from her reverie. She finds the source of the disturbance to be someone's palm. Her eyes travel up the arm to settle on the annoyed expression of her temperamental roommate.

"You didn't hear a single thing we said, did you?" Hyunji snaps.

"Hyunji…" Shuri mutters.

Yuzu shakes her head. "Sorry, did you need something?"

Hyunji's jaw drops. "Did we- Are we even your roommates anymore? This is- This is ridiculous!"

"Shh. Calm down, Hyunji," Shuri tries to placate. She swivels her head around to make sure no one is watching their small (and quickly becoming more than small) argument. Thankfully, everyone else is still preoccupied with Amanda O'Neil.

"I'll calm down once she stops acting like a  _shibal saekki_!"

Shuri gasps. "Hyunji!"

Yuzu narrows her eyes. "What did you just call me?"

"Oh you know perfectly well what I said. Or did you decide to purge that from your memory to make room for your new friends?!"

"That isn't how memory works-" Yuzu blinks. "Are you  _jealous_?"

Hyunji balks at this girl who should be her friend. "Am I- Are you  _that_ stupid?!"

Tears gather at the corner of Hyunji's eyes. Her chest twinges for a moment for a reason Yuzu can't fathom at the moment. She knows it should evoke some kind of emotional response, but the Demon Witch is too detached from such trivialities to make the connection.

Hyunji continues, "We're supposed to be friends, a team. And I thought that was what we were going to be. And then you went and ditched us for the  _better_ witches. I get you've wanted to meet Akko for awhile now, and hanging out is fine, but why did you have to leave us behind?!"

Shuri leans closer to Hyunji and starts rubbing small circles against the latter's back as the tears continue to fall. It doesn't quell the frustration in either girl, but it's enough to know that they at least have each other.

Yuzu comes to her own realization as this is happening in front of her.

(Ah, I see. How fickle humans can be. To succumb to such sins so easily…)

Yuzu tilts her head down so her face can't be seen. "Ah… I've been a bad friend, haven't I?"

Hyunji and Shuri startle at Yuzu's admission. They can't keep the incredulous stares from their expressions.

Since those two are unable to speak, Yuzu continues, "Come to think of it, when was the last time I asked  _you_ guys for help? It's always been Akko… senpai and her friends, hasn't it? That's not right."

Yuzu lifts her head so the other two can see her sheepish smile. "I was going to ask Akko-senpai for help, but it's probably better that I ask you two, right? Since we live together and all. That way I don't have to worry about curfew and all that. We can just have a group study together in our room!"

The other two are still blinking in silence.

"Is… that okay?" Yuzu adds when she gets no answer.

Shuri snaps out of her stupor first. "Tha-That's great, Yuzu! Yeah! That sounds perfect!" She elbows Hyunji in her side. " _Right_ , Hyunji?"

Hyunji shakes her head and wipes the tears from her eyes. "Heh, finally got through to you, didn't I?"

"It's kind of hard not to," Yuzu replies with the same smile.

(Such explicit unabashed envy. Of course I will acknowledge that.)

Hyunji and Shuri finally sit down to eat their dinners. Yuzu joins in on their conversation as they begin to make plans for their study session tonight.

Though Yuzu's mind is far from thinking about the basics of numerology.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, Diana had sleeping problems before but now she can't sleep at all. I just keep making her life even harder, huh?
> 
> Posting this today is pretty funny because here I am, going to meet Cam (aka W-IIV on FFN and Worldsinwords on AO3) in a few hours and pretty happy. Meanwhile, my characters are suffering and not happy and close to death.
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> As Hyunji is supposed to come from Korea, I asked one of my friends what the appropriate word for "bitch" is. Apparently there's a lot of different swear words asldkfjdsklfjsf. She says _shibal saekki_ means something along the lines of "fucking bitch" LOL


	9. Act VI.iii. Test of Faith - Cracked_Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the shadows make their move once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting this chapter a few hours early because I have a flight to catch in the morning… to Japan! I'll be there for three weeks. I've brought my laptop, so I should still be able to post chapters even while I'm on vacation.
> 
> Who's ready for some suffering?! And it isn't necessarily Diana receiving the brunt of my sadism haha…
> 
> So yeah. I am not nice to anyone in this Act. Just as an early warning.
> 
> Warnings for depictions of violence.

Diana rubs the bridge of her nose, attempting to will away the fatigue and pounding headache plaguing her. As expected, nothing helps; just as is has been for the past two days. The best she can do is continue pinching her fork and spoon and rub them between the pads of her fingers.

Stainless steel. These normal cutilery cannot compare to the blades that infested in her body. The temperature isn't right. Its texture isn't as coarse. And best of all, these objects cannot shred through her flesh.

But these same analyses are beginning to tire. There's only so much she can focus on before her fatigue overwhelms her mental processes and forces herself into a muddled state of consciousness.

Beside her, Akko nearly drops face-first into her plate of fried rice. Her head bobs up and down as she tries to fight against her own tiredness.

Lotte places a hand on Akko's shoulder. "Akko, don't fall asleep here. You need to finish eating so you can meet up with Professor Ursula later."

"Ngh… so sleepy…"

Hannah sighs. "We keep telling you to trade off with us. Diana can count on us too."

Diana smiles tiredly. Even such a small movement feels forced. "I appreciate the concern."

"Yeah well, anyone would be worried, ya know?" Amanda says. "You both look… pretty crappy."

Diana has avoided looking at herself in the mirror for some time, but she knows Amanda is not wrong. Two days of no sleep, her waking hours plagued by doubts, nightmares, and memories she wished she couldn't recall, and the unknown possibility of another assault. All of this is taking a toll on her.

She isn't sure how much longer she or Akko can keep this up. She can barely stomach her dinner.

Diana's hands clench against the utensils in her grasp.

(How pathetic. And yet, is there nothing that can be done…?!)

"Ah, I'm sorry to interrupt you girls…"

Nine heads look up toward the professor standing by their table.

Seeing her favorite professor, Akko immediately regains some energy to sit up straight. "Oh! Hi Professor Ursula! We're meeting a little later tonight, right?"

"I actually came to talk to you about that." Ursula rubs the back of her head sheepishly. "I forgot I had something to do later. But! I can still help you with your studies, we just have to move our meeting a little earlier. Can you meet me at the field by the school grounds after you're finished eating?"

Akko blinks. "Uh, sure. We can also just do this another time-"

"Oh, but that might be a bit of a hassle! And don't worry- our meeting can run a little over if we need to. It would just work best if we moved it earlier tonight."

Akko shrugs. "Okay then! I'm almost done eating."

"Then, I'll go prepare the materials we need." Ursula turns to the rest of the girls before she leaves. "Have a good dinner, everyone!"

Akko waves her hand in the air. "Bye, Professor!"

"Remedial lessons, huh?" Amanda says once Ursula is gone. "Why didn't you just ask Diana? You guys are always together."

Akko starts to shovel the rest of her food into her mouth at a faster pace than before. "Ri riddnt rant her to re ressed!"

"'I didn't want her to be stressed,'" Jasminka translates.

"Thanks, Jasna."

Diana frowns. Well, she acknowledges that she most likely won't be of much help to Akko given her current state.

"It took us  _and_ Professor Ursula to convince Akko to take the help," Barbara says.

Hannah scoffs. "Yeah. It's not like she can stay by Diana if she flunks out."

Akko slams her utensils down onto the table once she's done clearing her plate. "I'm not going to flunk out! And I'm done, so bye guys!"

Akko takes her tray and her belongings and leaves the group. The other girls watch as Akko nearly crashes into a few students and even Nelson on her way out of the dining hall.

"Will she even be fine?" Amanda wonders.

"Probably not. But at least she has Professor Ursula to look after her." Sucy tilts her head in Diana's direction. "You should ask the other person she left behind that same question."

Diana frowns. Before she can refute against Sucy's unsaid claim, Hannah beats her to the reply.

"Hey, Barbara and I are still here! Akko's not the only one looking after Diana," she says.

"And how's that going?"

Hannah freezes. "What's that supposed to mean?" she demands with a low voice.

Beside her, Barbara drops her head to look away. They both are aware of how Hannah usually is. She isn't the type to fear raising her voice whenever she wants to argue. So when she drops her tone…

"You two…"

But before Diana can interject further, Hannah shakes her head and looks Sucy straight in the eyes. "No, keep going. There's something you want to say, right  _Manbavaran_?"

"Speak for yourself."

At this point even Amanda is shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Jasminka's utensils are placed down. Constanze follows the exchange with her usual silent gaze.

As much as Diana wants to stop the argument before it truly spirals out of control, she knows everyone needs this to be said.

Strangely, the only person who doesn't seem uncomfortable is Lotte. There is no trace of timidness. All the quiet Finnish girl does is watch Sucy with alert eyes, never speaking up. As if she's waiting for something.

"Yeah, you bet I have a bunch of  _bullock_ I want to say," Hannah growls, pulling Diana's attention away from Lotte for the time being. "But you know, as a respectable person trying to actually make amends, I know when to keep my mouth shut. Are you even trying? Everything that comes out of your mouth ends up being callous or insulting. And most of the time it's toward  _your own friend_."

Despite the anger rolling off of Hannah, Sucy remains unperturbed. "Are words supposed to make everything better? If that was the case, Diana would be able to sleep again and Akko wouldn't be moping so much anymore."

"Oh, so you think how you act is any help? Then why is Akko still clinging to Diana? Are you even trying?" Hannah sucks in a deep breath. "You know, Barbara and I have been trying our best to be amicable with you guys, but you're still the same as ever. We were wrong about Akko and Lotte. Akko's stupid but at least she tries. Lotte is just shy but she's nice. You though? You're not doing  _anything_ to-"

Sucy rises from her seat so quickly that she pushes the table in front of her into Hannah, causing the other girl to stumble. Hannah grabs onto the sides of the table with both her hands to prevent herself from falling to the ground.

That snaps everyone to attention. But before anyone can make a move, Sucy is speaking once again.

"Not helping? That's the best you came up with?" Her one uncovered eye bores into Hannah's entire being, daring her to argue. "Don't assume you know everything about me. How do you think Akko has even been  _getting_ sleep lately? She doesn't take any of Ophelia's remedies that Diana was taking. Even though she was having just as vivid nightmares, she's been refusing medicine but somehow still getting sleep. Have you ever wondered that?"

Diana's eyes widen. She had reprimanded Akko's refusal for medication, but had never wondered how Akko's more severe nightmares were mitigated. She had assumed it was Akko's own mental strength. But dreams of the subconscious are near impossible to directly control.

"You have been creating potions for Akko?" Diana asks after finding her voice.

To anyone else, Sucy's posture stays the same. But Diana catches a slight movement in her shoulders as she admits, "Secretly. Akko never knows what I'm doing in the middle of the night." Her eye glances toward her other teammate. "Only Lotte knows. And that's because she caught me feeding it to Akko while she was sleeping one day. I used to mostly feed it to her after she's fallen asleep, but that had to change once she started following you around more. Since then, I've been mixing it into her food and drinks whenever she's not looking. She won't take it willingly, so the only way is to force it down her throat."

"I… I see."

She isn't sure what else to say. Since the day Sucy informed her to watch for Akko's own health, Diana has held Sucy with more credibility. But this admission is an entirely different side of the potion-loving witch that she hadn't realized.

Hannah suddenly tears away from the table, running out of the dining hall. She nearly hits another person running in from the opposite direction on her way out, causing the other person to swerve around to avoid the collision.

Barbara and Amanda stand from their seats, calling for Hannah. They start to go after her, only to pause when the person Hannah almost collided with comes toward their table.

The brunette makes her way to the table and huffs. "Hey guys! Man, what was up with Hannah? She looked like she was crying."

"Akko, why have you come back?" Diana asks.

Akko rubs the back of her neck. "Heh, I got to my room and then forgot to tell you something. Meet me where I'll be with Professor Ursula when you're done eating, okay? I know Hannah and Barbara said they'd keep you company, but I kind of want you to help with the tutoring today too." She looks around the table. "And uh, maybe those two aren't going to be there for you anyway. What happened?"

"Nothing," Barbara answers instantly. "Hey, I'm going to look for Hannah. She can get kind of depressed when she mopes by herself."

"I'm coming too," Amanda says unexpectedly. When all eyes turn to her, a small flush warms her cheeks. "Hey, she's a friend too. I'm just… concerned."

Barbara rolls her eyes. "Whatever. Come on you dolt. We need to find her before she picks a really good place to sulk by herself."

"Who you calling a dolt?!"

The two leave the dining hall, bickering the entire way out.

"So…?" Akko asks again. She keeps her head turned to Diana, but occasionally glances in the opposite direction of the exit toward a specific person.

"A… disagreement of sorts," Diana says, choosing her words wisely. "You should hurry to Professor Ursula though. Despite her kindness, it is best not to keep her waiting."

"Oh! Right! I can wait for you if you want?"

Diana shakes her head. "There is… something else I need to be doing. I will join you shortly."

The longer Diana looks at Akko, the more she is certain that Akko is staring specifically at Jasminka. For what reason, Diana has no idea.

She voices her concerns. "Akko? Is something the matter?"

Diana's voice snaps Akko out of her stupor. She shakes her head. "Huh? Oh, nah. Just thinking about something. I'll see you later then!"

Jasminka finally eases her tense shoulders once Akko tears her gaze away from her. She shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

"What was that about?" Constanze writes on her board.

Sucy narrows her eye. "Akko was being weird."

"Sucy, are you okay though?" Lotte asks. "Everything Hannah said…"

"It's fine. There's no way she could've known. It doesn't bother me."

Diana wants to argue that it clearly does, as Sucy still hasn't retook her seat. But that is not her place to point out. Not when Lotte is already showing concern for her friend.

"In her defense, no one knew. Not even myself," Diana says. "You successfully concealed your actions from everyone."

Sucy rolls her eye. "Like I said, almost everyone."

"I've been helping Sucy mix the potion into Akko's food and drinks too," Lotte says. "Sometimes Akko pays more attention to Sucy since she's done things like that before. But she never suspects me."

Diana sighs. "Thank you both. I'm glad she has you to help her."

(When I cannot.)

Sucy catches her unspoken thoughts. "You have more to worry about right now. Any luck?"

"Unfortunately not. I am no closer to finding the culprit of the assault than I am to cure my insomnia."

"Who's alive that can even control Shadow Magic like that anyway?"

"No one." Diana frowns. "And that is the fundamental problem. I have no suspects to investigate. I cannot do  _a thi-_."

For a second Diana's body tenses. A jolt runs through her body, and the next thing she knows the others have all turned worried gazes in her direction. The lingering warmth of her necklace presses against her chest.

"Diana?" Lotte asks.

"I… I apologize." Diana places her hand on her chest. She takes a deep, calming breath. "I must have… lost my thoughts."

"How long?" Stanbot beeps.

"Since this all started?" Constanze elaborates by writing down.

"Since I awoke in this new body," Diana answers solemnly. "It occurs at random and cannot be predicted. The most Professor Ursula and Miss Croix could do was to modify Akko's gift into a device that monitors my heart rate. It has picked up on my irregularities precisely enough."

"But that's not going to be fast enough if someone attacks you again," Sucy points out.

"I am… aware."

Neither Sophia nor Sakura have found a way to remedy her lapses in consciousness. Sophia insists that there is nothing she can do in terms of the homunculus body as there is nothing wrong with it. Sakura hasn't performed enough analyses to find a suitable way to tackle the situation through her soul. Both are also unsure of the long term consequences it may have.

"Diana, did you think there was something strange about Akko?" Jasminka suddenly asks.

Diana narrows her eyes in thought. "Not in particular."

"She was staring at Jasminka for quite a bit," Lotte notes.

Jasminka nods. "It was creepy. Like she was trying to look for something inside of me…"

"The last time Akko stared that hard at Jasminka was when she was trying to convince her to go on a diet," Sucy says, "And then got half the students sucked of all their magic energy."

"Most of us had to stay in the hospital for a week." Lotte sighs.

Jasminka shakes her head. "I don't think Akko wants me to diet this time. She seemed… confused."

Diana stands from her seat and gathers her tray and utensils. "In any case, I will go ahead and check on Akko myself. She should be with Professor Ursula at the moment."

To her surprise, the other four gather their belongings as well, even though some of them have not finished their dinners.

"Well come too," Jasminka says in response to Diana's confusion. "I want to know why Akko made me feel weird."

"Your other half and the other two aren't here either," Sucy adds.

Lotte smiles. "You're our friend, Diana. We're here for you too."

Stanbot climbs onto the back of Constanze's head and beeps, "Leave it to us!"

Constanze gives her a thumbs up.

For a moment, Diana forgets the shadows encroaching her from all sides in reality as well as her dreams. All she can see is an unexpected light that she hadn't realized was in her life all this time. Not from one or three sources, but from all around her.

Her hands tighten against the tray, letting the wood dig into her palms. A separate feeling gnaws at the insides of her stomach; different from blades. This is a sense of foreboding. Something is not right.

Diana doesn't let any of that show. Instead, her lips pull up into a smile. "I appreciate the support. Shall we be on our way then?"

* * *

Akko pulls her cloak closer to her. Even though it isn't that late right now, the night chill is already biting past her clothes and into her bones.

She reaches the empty field and puts down her things. Once her hands are free, she cups her hands in front of her and blows a breathy, warm exhale to warm her chilled hands.

"Brrrr. Maybe I should've swiped some hot chocolate before coming out here." Akko looks up at the dark sky, noting the clouds obscuring the stars from the heavens. "It looks like it's going to snow too. I guess that can be something for me and Diana to do if we still can't sleep."

Just the thought of sharing the night with Diana again brings a smile to Akko's face. Even with Hannah and Barbara sleeping in the room, they'll have the time to themselves thanks to Diana's spacious balcony. Sitting close to enjoy each other's warmth, holding hands to remind the other that neither of them are going anywhere- that they're both here and alive and… relatively happy at least.

As the cold envelopes her, Akko closes her eyes and pulls up the memory of that dark, cold night almost two years ago. Remembering how warm Diana's hands had felt wrapped around hers is a lot better than the frigid emptiness when she thought Diana had broken her promise and left their world before she could get the chance to really experience it.

Akko shakes her head. She brings up her hands to blow another breathy exhale to warm up.

(That's over now. Diana's okay now. I'm- I'm okay too. We're all okay. We're okay.)

Just as Akko starts to push those thoughts to the side and wonder where Ursula is, she hears the person in question call out to her from the side.

"Akko!" Professor Ursula stops in front of her and fixes the strap of the bag across her shoulder. "I'm so sorry for taking so long! I was trying to find some documents that I needed for today's lessons. Goodness, I think I need to reorganize my room again."

"That's okay! But why did you decide to move our lesson outside? I thought we were gonna meet in your office?"

"Ahh, I wanted to change up our lesson plans for today. The spell I have in mind requires a bit more space than my own cramped office."

"Spell?" Akko looks down at her stuff on the ground. "I didn't bring my broom with me."

"Oh no, we won't be flying. I was wondering if you wanted to practice  _Magna Aestus_. It's been awhile since you got to practice it with me."

"Diana's spell?" Akko hums in thought. "Now that I think about it, it really has been some time. The last time I got to try it was before the Samhain Festival. Diana never lets me practice by myself after she caught me the first time. But you and Diana are always so busy."

"And then the Samhain preparations took up everyone's time," Ursula adds. "So I figured tonight would be a good opportunity for you. How does that sound?"

"Sure! Plus I bet it'd help keep me warm." Akko shivers. "Geez, it really is cold tonight."

Ursula looks up at the sky and hums to herself. "There might be a storm coming."

"You think so? It looks like it'll snow, but will it really be that bad? I guess you can probably tell better than me. I'm still not very good at astrological readings."

Ursula tilts her head back down to regard Akko with surprise. "Astro- Oh, yes. The stars." She claps her hands together. "Well, let's not waste any more time. I'm sure you'd like to get as much practice in before retiring to a warm bed."

Akko nods. "It's been awhile, but I'll show you that I can cast the spell right this time!"

Ursula takes a step back to give Akko some room. Akko appreciates the consideration. It isn't that  _Magna Aestus_ is an external spell that affects the space around her, but more of giving Akko the space she needs to concentrate. They're in a safe environment and Akko can trust Ursula to keep her magic in check if anything goes wrong.

 _Inhale_.  _Exhale_.

As Akko pulls a breath in, she retrieves memories of Diana's instructions to cast the spell. The image of Diana's movements come to mind first, projecting an internal figure for Akko to mimic.

Akko lays one palm on her chest, resting it over the necklace Diana had left for her all those months ago. She closes her eyes and gathers the magical energy around her toward the dual rings resting against her chest.

The ornament didn't belong to her until recently. Even so, it's become irreplaceable to Akko. It's the object that had literally contained the life of the girl who Akko has come to love.

(Love- Ahhh now's not the time to get embarrassed about that!!!)

 _Inhale_.  _Exhale_.

Akko recalls Diana explaining that the purpose of the spell wasn't so that the House of Reinhardt could do battle for the sake of conquering, but to provide a means for them to protect what they hold dear. In a family of knights who could not even be considered true spellcasters, this single spell allowed them to surpass their limitations to overcome any obstacle.

Confidence, courage, resolve. Whenever Diana casts  _Magna Aestus_ , it's always for a noble purpose. Diana never fought to crush her opponent. She would only fight to defend her beliefs and the people she couldn't afford to lose. This is the girl Akko had sworn to stand beside.

(Diana's amazing. In that case, I can't be slacking either!)

 _Inhale_.  _Exhale_.

After the last breath, Akko begins to chant:

" _Spirit and technique, flawless and firm._

_Steel is our body, and fire is our blood._

_Our strength rips the mountains._

_Our wisdom deduces the divine._

_Our journey is endless._

_Break through the limits._

_**Magna Aestus**_ _."_

Green energy snakes across Akko's skin throughout her body in a circuit pattern. As the tips of the tendrils reach up Akko's neck and to her face, the magic starts to crackle.

Ursula gasps. "Akko-"

Akko grits her teeth. "I can do this.  _I can do this_."

 _Inhale_.  _Exhale_.

" _Remember Akko- the most important part of casting this spell is to remain grounded. Even when you feel your magic begin to run rampant, you must remain calm. The magic you are gathering from the external environment must be taken in at a steady pace and evenly distributed throughout your body. Muscle, bone, nerves- all of that must be enhanced at once at the same amount. This is the ultimate test of patience. If you hesitate, you will fail. Likewise, the same will occur if you are too eager. Therefore, you must_ concentrate _."_

(She says it like I haven't learned anything at all in the past year! Well I'm gonna show her…)

Akko growls under her breath.

"I'm gonna show her that I can do it even when she's not watching me!!"

The green circuits remain stable. Unlike her first few attempts, the color never worsens or even change to yellow. The pattern etches itself onto Akko's skin, illuminating her in the night.

The sound of clapping pulls Akko's eyes open to Ursula. The professor gives her a wide smile.

"That was amazing, Akko! You've successfully casted the House of Reinhardt's spell!"

Akko grins. "I guess I hav-"

The green circuits flicker and fade before she can finish her sentence. As soon as the pattern diminishes, Akko feels the rest of her strength leave her body. She collapses on her knees and barely stops herself from falling face-first into the grass by planting her hands in front of her.

"Akko?!" Ursula calls out. She kneels beside Akko with hands on Akko's shoulders.

"I'm… I'm okay," Akko gasps with a breathy chuckle. "I guess I got too happy. Forgot to keep up the spell. Heh."

Ursula sighs in relief. "You had me worried there. I always did wonder what happens after you finish the incantation."

Akko groans. "Isn't it hard enough that I had to remember so many words just to cast the spell?! How does Diana and the rest of her family have enough attention to keep the spell running  _and_ fight at the same time?!"

Ursula chuckles. "It  _is_ a difficult spell only practiced by the House of Reinhardt for a reason. But I have to ask- why not learn something like  _Belga Veeda_? Or at least one that isn't restricted to use. Or one without an incantation as long as  _Magna Aestus_. Any other spell would have been easier to learn and use. So why this one?"

Akko shakes her head. "It has to be  _Magna Aestus_. It's harder, and I know there are better spells that aren't such a mouthful. But it's what Diana uses. Heck she's probably used it so much in the past year that I just think of her whenever I think of that spell. And I just…" Akko sits on her knees and grips her skirt. "I wanted to show her that I could do it too."

"You really care about Diana, don't you?"

Akko scratches her head sheepishly. "Well, yeah. But you already knew that. And all our friends. If Amanda makes fun of me one more ti-"

"I still don't understand it."

Ursula's voice, devoid of emotion, pulls Akko's gaze to her mentor.

"Um, I guess it's a little selfish of me to pick that  _one_ spell even if it's inconvenient. But I'm going to get the hang of it no mat-"

"Why do you care so much about Diana Cavendish?"

The lifelessness of Ursula's tone sets off alarm bells in the back of Akko's mind. Her professor is always so enthusiastic and caring, or worried and emotional. She's never so analytical. Right now, her voice sounds even more uncaring than Professor Croix's ever was.

She knows she can be dense. But even Akko isn't so thickheaded that she can't notice something off about the woman she treasures like a second mother.

"Professor Ursula you… you know why," Akko says carefully. She slowly stands to her feet, taking a cautious step back away from the other woman.

"You seem to care about a lot of people, Akko. Your roommates, your friends, your teachers; but what sets Diana apart from them? What makes you go so far for her? So much that you'd even  _harm your own health_  for her?"

"I-" Akko sucks in a breath.

(Okay, I've never actually… straight up said it to anyone before. Something's weird with Professor Ursula. But if she's asking for it… I can't be shy right now. I've told Diana this a bunch of times; I can say it now too.)

Akko's hands clench by her side. She stands tall and firm, back straight with her head held high.

"I l- I-" She takes another deep breath to calm her racing heart. "I love her. More than just a friend, more than just a mentor or a rival. Yeah. It's just… I love Diana. Yeah."

(That sounded  _a lot_ better in my head.)

"Ah. Haha. I see. So you chose to reply with that." Ursula covers her face with a weary hand. "I anticipated it, yet it still took me by surprise. So that's your answer, Atsuko Kagari?"

"Yeah. Now I want to ask something." Akko narrows her eyes and grabs her wand. "Who are you? Professor Ursula doesn't need me to tell her why I love Diana. Heck, almost everyone in Luna Nova probably knows. And Professor Ursula would never sound so cold. You're not her."

"In hindsight, I should have tried a little harder to keep up the act. But your answer was so ridiculous that I want to completely lose it."

The woman drops her hand, revealing the familiar face twisted by an unfamiliar expression. If Akko had any doubts before, seeing Ursula give her such an abnormal sneer convinces her enough.

Akko levels her wand at Ursula. "Hey, I answered you. The least you can do is reply to what I asked you."

"Isn't it obvious? I am Ursula Callistis."

Such a blatant insult to Ursula's kindness ignites a flare of anger within Akko. "There's no way Professor Ursula would ever look down on anyone like that! She's not that kind of person!"

Ursula cocks an eyebrow. "And you think you know this woman? You, who only fixate on Diana Cavendish since you two have gotten together?"

Akko starts from that accusation. "Wha- What's that supposed to mean? I don't just focus on Diana! You don't know me!"

"Really? So you don't spend all of your efforts to find a way to help that girl sleep past her nightmares? Are you telling me you don't spend every waking moment thinking about Diana? You've practically tailored your own schedule to her well being. I'd say that's quite an extreme case of favoritism."

Amanda and the others had brought up the same problem. Couples will spend a lot of time together, but every waking moment without thinking of anything else isn't normal. That much is obvious. But it's not like she and Diana have gone through normal circumstances anyway.

Even still, Akko holds steadfast that nothing is wrong. "Anyone would! Couples do that!"

The woman continues on, "Even before your romantic feelings became known you would never stop thinking about Diana. 'Why's she so perfect? Everyone loves her. She can do anything. Everyone respects her. Meanwhile, I'm just someone who boasted that I can do anything even though I just started practicing magic. Against someone like that, who am I?' Are those not thoughts that have crossed your mind?"

"Wha- What the heck?" Akko shakes her head. "That's not-!"

"And now that you have come to an understanding with one another, it seems your initial disdain has been buried by something else? Is it love like you claim it to be?" The woman leans forward into Akko's shaking wand and sneers. "Or is it something else? Perhaps an emotion that is capable of crushing such a weak bond? The fear of  _losing her for good_?"

" _Mu_ -" Akko steadies her hand and growls, " _ **MUROWA**_!"

The green energy strikes Ursula directly in the face, snapping her head back but not strong enough to throw her off her feet. Her body remains tilted with her back slightly arching back.

"Oh, that hurt. That really hurt. I guess taking a spell like that directly to the face is gonna sting a bit even if it's from someone like  _you_."

(Yeah, definitely not Professor Ursula!)

" _ **Muro-**_!"

Ursula takes a step forward and suddenly snaps her head forward, ramming her forehead into Akko's. The headbutt cuts Akko off and forces her clench her eyes shut. She takes a step back to right herself before she falls while grabbing her head in pain.

Akko opens her eyes slightly to squint at her attacker. But she no longer sees red hair. Long, platinum blonde flows freely against a sudden wind. Akko matches azure gaze with her own widening eyes.

"You- You're- You're a shapeshifter?" Akko gasps.

The blonde rushes forward to close the distance between them. Skin and muscle tear as the bones in her hand changes before Akko's eyes. The fingers and nails elongate into inhuman claws.

Akko takes a step back while trying to raise her wand. But she can't stop staring at Diana's face pulled into the same sneer that looked so wrong on Ursula's face before. Diana herself had never looked down on Akko, but this other person's expression before her is what Akko would imagine Diana would look like if the prodigy ever wished to belittle her.

(This isn't Diana! This isn't-!)

Long talons tear through Akko's body, shredding through skin, muscle, and bone. She couldn't step back or come up with a counterattack fast enough. Already tired from casting  _Magna Aestus_ earlier, Akko's body begins to shut down.

The face of Diana Cavendish smirks down at her as she falls. "I am no one."

Akko gasps but no sound escapes her clogged throat. Her body slams against the grass. She can no longer feel the coolness through her clothes, only the burning agony erupting from her torn body. Pain continues to flare through her deteriorating senses even as she catches the sight of red leaking from her body and staining green through the corner of her eyes.

Her vision is almost gone, but she can't stop staring at Diana's face. As her consciousness becomes clouded with more blackness, all she can think about is how Diana should and would  _never_ look down upon anyone with such mockery.

She can no longer see or stay awake. Yet Akko swears she hears Diana's voice through the heaviness clogging her ears.

(Diana…?)

Her eyes close and her consciousness fades before she can find out if it's really Diana who has come to save her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tee hee
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> Interestingly, purple is not a spectral color but violet is. In a way, it parallels the fact that Yuzu, after taken over by Goetia, is no longer an actual student or who she was before, but is actually a demon posing as a human. And she's only seen to be normal by the unsuspecting humans, kind of like how purple is only seen to be similar to violet by humans.
> 
> This correlation will matter for the fate of Shuri and Hyunji too.
> 
> [This](https://jakubmarian.com/difference-between-violet-and-purple) is a neat link to where I got my clarification.


	10. Act VI.iv. Fear Sinks its Fangs into Weak Hearts - Toxic_Envy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Amanda gives a pep talk while Diana and the others deal with Akko's attacker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for depictions of (mild) action and violence.

Ten minutes pass as Barbara and Amanda run around Luna Nova looking for Hannah. They've already checked the blue team's room, the library, and the kitchen with no success. That leaves one last place that Barbara knows Hannah has hidden at before.

"So… Hannah does this a lot?" Amanda suddenly asks after relative silence.

"You mean hiding when she feels bad about something? More than you think." Barbara shakes her head. "She's the type who's direct but also gets upset easily when she realizes that she did something wrong. And instead of apologizing, she'll go mope by herself because she's too stubborn to admit that she was even wrong."

Amanda snorts. "That definitely sounds like her. So where's she hiding this time?"

"All that's left is the armory. If she's not there, we're going to be spending the entire night looking for her because I'll be out of ideas."

Amanda raises an eyebrow. "Why there?"

"She likes old things. I guess weapons, suits of armor, and old witches' cloaks and equipment fall in that category. Her family's pretty big into archaeology. She told me she's been collecting antique stuff since she was a kid. She would've bought something from Luna Nova if some of the professors didn't scare her so much."

"Huh. Never knew she was like that."

"Yeah well… Hannah's not the type who likes to talk about herself."

"You're both kinda like that."

"… There's nothing special to talk about."

The two stop in front of the door leading to the armory. Amanda moves forward first and places her hand on the door. Before she pushes it open, she turns to Barbara with a serious expression devoid of her usual mischief.

"Just because nothing big's happened in your life doesn't mean there's nothing special about it," Amanda says. "Anyway, I don't feel like saying this twice, so we're going to find Hannah so I can give you  _both_ a piece of my mind."

Barbara crosses her arms over her chest as Amanda opens the door. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not saying anything else until we find your other half. If she's not here, I'm setting the school on fire."

"Seriously? Do I even want to ask how you're going to do that?" Barbara glares at Amanda. "Don't tell me you set up explosive devices around the school."

Amanda waves her hand. "Nah, I'm not that crazy. Constanze's the one who's got the entire school on her radar."

"By the Nines, how are you guys not expelled yet?!"

"It's not like we can raise the school or anything. The most Cons can do is blow a roof or two off."

"That doesn't make it any better!!"

A sigh comes from behind one of the mannequins. "Seriously, can't you two talk about something normal? Flippantly saying you can blow up the school makes me want to come out of hiding just to smack you two up the head."

Amanda strides up to the mannequin and leans around it to stare down at the person hiding behind it. "Hey, at least we're not the ones sulking behind a replica of…" She leans back to read the plaque on the ground, "… the sash of Saint Martha."

A sniff. "It's not a replica. The sash is the real thing. I checked."

"Yeah, it definitely feels dusty enough to be that old." Amanda cocks an eyebrow. "You gonna stay sitting there? Even with your coat it's gonna get pretty cold tonight."

"What do you care? You've never liked me."

"Since when did I say that?"

"At least twenty times a day."

"She has a point," Barbara chimes in.

Amanda rolls her eyes. "Can't you two take a joke? I say that to Diana too and  _she_ doesn't take it to heart."

"That's because Diana knows you're an idiot," Hannah grumbles.

"Ya know, if you really wanna mope I would let you. But all it does is make you even more pathetic."

"Huh?!" Hannah suddenly leaps to her feet, getting up in Amanda's face and forcing the latter to retreat back. "Are you calling me  _pathetic_?! You, of all people?!"

Amanda glares back at her. "Yeah, that's what I said. And you know it." She turns to Barbara. "You  _both_ know it."

"You better watch your mouth, O'Neil," Hannah growls.

Barbara levels her own glare. "We came here to cheer up Hannah. Why the heck are you spitting out insults? If I knew you were going to be an insensitive prick, I would have kicked you off our balcony and found Hannah myself."

Amanda doesn't back down from either of them. "I didn't plan on getting all feely with you two, but it looks like someone's going to have to. Woulda thought Diana already gave you two this talk. Guess not."

"The heck you talking about?" Hannah demands.

Amanda sighs. "For all your high and mighty talk, you're both pretty soft, aren't ya?"

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?!" Hannah and Barbara yell.

"You make fun of Akko for being stupid and always messing things up, but really you're just afraid of people noticing that you guys will make those mistakes too. It must be pretty hard to be  _the_ Diana Cavendish's friends, isn't it?"

The two girls of the blue team falter.

"It's- It's not. It's not hard because we're the only ones who can be with Diana!" Hannah insists.

But Barbara looks down and away from Amanda. She knows Hannah's just bluffing. It's just Hannah has never been the one to admit the truth. They both know that Amanda isn't wrong. But every time they think about this, Barbara is always the one who won't deny it. Not because she's shy, but because she can't lie to herself. Not like Hannah can.

"Oh yeah? So you're saying you're not having second thoughts now that Akko and I are getting buddy buddy with Diana? Not just us, but the rest of our group too?"

Hannah clicks her tongue. "So- So what? That doesn't matter. Besides, it's good for Diana to have more friends. There's nothing wrong with that. And it's  _you_ guys.  _Someone's_ gotta keep you hooligans in check."

"You really think you're the two for the job?"

With that, Amanda successfully hits the nail on the head.

"So this is what you meant," Barbara says. "Seriously?  _You're_ going to be the one to ask that? You can't even get your grades up. Don't think you're all that just because you've got talent on the broom, Amanda."

"Yeah, I've got talent. I know it, you know it, the stuffy hags know it, the whole school knows it. I'm not gonna deny that." Amanda faces the two with a resolute stare. "I also know my grades aren't the best. You know, Diana says that I can probably do pretty well if I just put in the effort. She's wrong though. If I tried twice or three times as hard as she or Akko does, I still won't be able to get more than slightly above average."

Hannah frowns. "You're admitting you're stupid?"

"Damn right I am. I'm not the brightest witch in this school. Not as hopeless as Akko, but definitely not something to write home about. At least not in the good way. And you know what? Whatever. I'm not gonna try in something I don't care about." She strikes her fest against her chest. "My pride is in my broom. Flying's my passion, the sky's my freedom. I ain't gonna let some random grades assigned by hags that don't know me dictate my worth. I set my own value. But what about you two? What sets  _your_ value?"

Hannah scoffs. "None of your business."

Barbara crosses her arms over her chest. "What makes you think we don't set our own values?"

"If you actually cared about yourselves, you wouldn't always be kissing ass to Diana. 'Oh, Diana you're so great!' Or 'Diana can do anything!' Or 'As expected of Diana!' My personal favorite's 'Everything's gonna be alright now that Diana's here! She can fix everything!' What? You polish her shoes too or something? Wouldn't put it past you two."

Hannah balls her hands into fists, arms shaking by her side. Even Barbara barely keeps herself from walking over and socking Amanda across the face.

"You're  _really_ pushing it, O'Neil," Hannah snarls.

"Good. Cus I'm not done. Well, I'd insult you two more but it's getting kinda boring." Amanda's expression softens. "You know, it's easy to think Diana's perfect when she's always put on a pedestal. Hell, I wouldn't have given it a second thought until just recently. I get it; Diana's amazing. It's kinda hard  _not_ to think she's perfect. But she's not. There's stuff she can't do too. She messes up just like the rest of us. It doesn't happen as much, and when it does she always fixes it before the rest of us even notice. But there really  _is_ stuff that she can't do."

"Well obviously. We don't need  _you_ telling us that."

"If you get it, you wouldn't be comparing yourself to her."

Hannah frowns. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You guys do that a lot. And not just to Diana, but everyone else. Heck, I bet you make fun of Akko so much cus she's helping Diana more than you guys ever did."

"We're not even being mean to her anymore," Barbara argues.

"Nah, y'all were bitches to Akko and the rest of us just cus of your inferiority complex. Now you're nicer cus you  _know_ we're better and you can't say anything about it."

" _Inferiority complex_?! We do  _not_ have an  _inferiority complex_!" Hannah shouts.

"You guys can deny it all you want. Point is, you have it. Just like how you put Diana on a pedestal, you keep trying to build up your own while feeling bad that it's not as tall as everyone else's. And I'm telling you that you shouldn't  _give a shit_. Learn to get that stick out of your asses."

"Oh, and suddenly you think you know everything?" Hannah stalks up to Amanda and pokes her in the chest. "You think I'm jealous of  _you_?! Just because you're the only one who can match Diana in a broom. Just because you've got guts. Just because you could stand with Diana and Akko and help bring back magic-"

Barbara's eyes widen as Hannah's voice hitches in her throat. There it is. The insecurities that they had both voiced to each other and no one else. All of a sudden it all came tumbling out to the  _last_ person they'd ever want to tell.

Amanda sighs. "Geez, see? You really do have the worst inferiority complexes. From what Barbara said, I was thinking it'd take more than that to get you to spit it out."

"You were… egging us on?" Barbara asks.

"Yeah. Figured you'd break first," Amanda points down at Hannah, whose shoulders are shaking with barely repressed rage. "but I guess I got her to confess first. Guess I pushed your buttons enough."

"You…!"

"Look, we did all those things because it just happened that way. Did any of us know that we'd end up chasing a missile that went batshit insane because Croix's inventions went out of control? Nah. Hell, I didn't even think we'd fall in the Arcturus Forest. Crazy shit happens around Akko but I didn't think it'd be  _that_ bad."

"Her luck  _is_ pretty unfortunate," Hannah mutters.

Barbara can't help but giggle at that. It earns a confused stare from Hannah.

Amanda smirks. "When Croix and Ursula said that the missile was launched and would hit and wipe out an entire country, it was Akko that kept saying we could stop it. 'New Nine Witches' my ass. She just pulled that crap out of nowhere. But she was so sure that we could do it that it was hard not to believe it. And in the end, it was Akko and Diana that shot down the missile with the energy we all gave them. So everyone helped out in the end."

"Still…"

"Just cus you weren't standing on the front lines doesn't mean you didn't do anything. How about instead of thinking about what you didn't do compared to other people, you start thinking about what you've got going for yourself? You know…" Amanda suddenly turns her head, smirk gone and one hand up to rub the back of her head, "you two are pretty cool yourselves. Diana's told us some pretty cool stories about you two."

Hannah and Barbara blink, staring at Amanda incredulously.

"About us?"

"Like…?"

"Like that time during the festival preparations and the props broke. Before it could hurt anyone, you guys casted a spell around a girl who would've gotten crushed. Yeah Diana was the one who stopped the beam from falling, but you two made that barrier to protect that girl."

Hannah leans forward. Barbara also takes a step closer. There's  _definitely_ red tinting Amanda's cheeks. They're not letting Amanda go that easily.

"Go on."

Amanda keeps rubbing the back of her neck with her gaze turned away. "And there was that time in potions when someone mixed the wrong thing that would've knocked everyone out if they inhaled too much of the gas. Diana said she was the one giving the instructions, but you two were the ones who yelled at everyone to get out of the room while Diana stayed behind to get rid of the potion with Lukić."

"Uh huh. Anything else?"

Amanda's nose flares. "And… and… uhhh…Ahh I'm not saying any more! Geez! That was already disgusting! I ain't stroking your egos any more!"

"Oh, is that all? That's not a lot of things to think about," Hannah drawls.

"I'm saying you guys are dependable, damn it!" Amanda shouts. "That's enough to power your egos for a decade!"

Amanda's face pales when she realizes what she just admitted. Hannah and Barbara can only gape in silence. Then they turn to each other, grins pulling their lips up.

"You know, I never would've thought I'd hear  _Amanda_ say we're dependable," Barbara says.

"Yeah. We really must've been moping pretty bad if  _Amanda_ has to give us a pep talk," Hannah replies.

Amanda scoffs. "And I'm never doing it again. I'm gonna make Diana owe me a favor for taking care of  _her_ friends."

"So you're saying we're not your friends?" Hannah asks.

"Eh? I didn't say that! Isn't it obvious that-" Amanda stares incredulously at the two who are now hunched over laughing. "For fuck's sake I'm done. Never doing this again. You know I felt bad that you two always looked like kicked puppies whenever you thought no one was looking. I tried being a good person but if you're just gonna- You guys are just gonna keep laughing at me, aren't you?"

"No, no we're good," Barbara wheezes. "It's just… of  _all_ people. Man, Hannah we really let ourselves get dragged down."

"Yeah. If even someone who can't even go one week without getting detention is trying to make us feel better, we really must have hit our lowest. How embarrassing."

"Hey, it's not my fault that there's so many stupid rules in this school," Amanda grumbles.

Hannah's grin softens. "Still though. Thanks, Amanda."

Barbara gives her own smile. "Yeah. You're not so bad, you know?"

Amanda rolls her eyes. "You better remember that the next time you call me stupid."

"You're the one who admitted that your grades are always going to be bad."

"I was making a point. That was  _not_ the point."

"Really? Because it sure sounded like-"

The ground suddenly shakes, nearly tripping the three onto the ground. They manage to catch themselves and regain their balance.

"What was that?!" Hannah and Barbara cry together.

"Earthquake? That's-" Amanda's eyes widen. "Oh god. Knowing Akko's luck, something's probably attacking the school."

Hannah and Barbara turn to each other. "Knowing  _Diana's_ track record, something's probably attacking  _her_."

The three rush out of the armory and toward the source of the tremble. They race down the hallway and down the stairs toward the front of the school. They pass by barely calm faculty who are trying to direct Luna Nova's screaming students aware from the source of danger. The three of them ignore the teachers' instructions and run  _toward_ the chaos.

"You know, I really can't tell who has the worse luck. Those two are always getting themselves into these shitty situations!" Amanda shouts.

"It's all that Akko's fault! Diana's life wasn't this bad before she started falling in love with Akko!" Barbara replies.

The three exit the building. But the sight that greets them freezes them in place.

"You sure about that?" Amanda gulps. "Because I swear even  _Akko's_  luck isn't this bad…"

* * *

Diana can only watch in horror as her world is torn apart with that single strike.

" _ **AKKO!!!**_ "

The others are already moving as she rushes forward. Diana points her wand at the ground and casts multiple mounds of dirt to erupt and ensnare the other her in place. The assailant wearing her face doesn't move, but Diana worries more about the amount of blood pouring from Akko's fatal wound.

Jasminka charges past Diana, rushing to act as a shield in front of Akko in case Diana's restraints don't hold. Constanze notches her wand into her gun and cocks it. Even Sucy's grin is gone, replaced with apprehension and tension as she pulls out her own wand and a few vials from her cloak.

Diana and Lotte drop down to their knees on each side of Akko's still form. Lotte presses two fingers to Akko's neck while Diana pulls out her wand and casts  _Emantur Ligna_  to heal the wound. Although most of the blood clots, but the torn parts of her upper body remain in critical condition. Red continues to stain everything around them at a steady pace.

Lotte releases a shaky sigh. "There's still a pulse. But it's so weak, and she's so pale. Will Akko-?"

"This is the most I can do with this spell," Diana hisses impatiently, cutting Lotte off. "We need to take her to a proper healer or she will die from blood loss."

"Or her body shuts down completely from that wound," Sucy comments. "Go, Diana. You and Lotte. We'll take care of this for you."

"Ara, but is that really wise?" comes Diana's voice. Not from the Diana fretting over Akko, but the one captured and held in place. "If you take me out of your sight, there's no telling when and how I'll attack you again."

Diana's grip tightens against her wand. If her hands were still blades it would have cleaved her wand in half. Instead, her pseudo-human flesh only chafes against the rough wood.

"You dare…" Diana barely holds back the growl from her voice. "You dare attack Akko using  _my own face_?!"

The other Diana smirks at her true self. "Is it unsettling to see yourself as a murderer? But that isn't entirely new, now is it? After all, you've already taken a life. It's only a matter of time before you're the reason for the death of your loved ones as well."

Diana flinches against her will.

Amusement twinkles in the other Diana's eyes. "Oh, I suppose that's already happened before, yes? How  _was_ it that your parents died? One by an incurable disease, the other cursed after taking up a fruitless quest for an unattainable elixir. Why didn't you stop them, little Diana? Why do you always let your loved ones die?"

"For a shapeshifter, you talk a lot." Sucy cuts through. Her usual deadpan tone is laced with animosity, rivaling Diana's own rage. "An aswang? Or a kapre? There's the tikbalang and engkanto too, or creatures from other cultures. Or maybe you're just a spellcaster using something to change your appearance."

The trapped Diana sneers. "But that doesn't matter, does it? You're a smart one, Sucy."

"Hearing that from Diana's voice makes me want to vomit. In other words, if we lose you you're going to change into anyone we're familiar with and catch us off guard at any time."

That Diana clicks her tongue to make three  _ding ding dings_. "Precisely."

Keeping her gaze on the one masquerading as her, Diana casts a levitation spell on Akko to gently lift her from the ground. Any kind of carry through physical touch is out of the question- not if she wants to jostle Akko's wound and cause more damage.

Meanwhile, Sucy says, "Yeah, you're definitely not Diana. If you were half as smart as her, you'd know it's pretty easy for even us three to keep you here. What can you do in that state?"

The captured Diana shrugs. "You're right. I guess I just have to change it."

The restrained figure snaps its head back and releases a long, guttural wail. One shoulder twitches upward, followed by the other. As it continues to scream, its body begins to bulge outward in multiple blotchy bulbs. The swelling breaks the earthen restraints around it. Its skin changes from slightly tanned to a putrid dark green. The form keeps growing until it's size surpasses the roofs of Luna Nova.

"It's so big!" Jasminka gasps.

"Impossible to combat," Stanbot beeps. "Grand Charion is not ready for combat. Consider other methods to subdue the enemy!"

Lotte covers her gasp with her hands. "What… what  _is_ it?"

Eight legs sprout from the sides, four on each side. The bulges take form into what appears to be countless human faces. Hollow eyes, disfigured noses, and open mouths as they moan and scream in agony. A long, thick tail also sprouts from the back of the creature. A giant head - a cross between a canine and a human's - forms the front.

"Probably a chimera," Sucy answers. "But even that's a stretch."

The beast takes a step with one foot, sending a trembling shockwave through the ground that nearly throws them all off balance. It opens its mouth to reveal a giant jaw of perfect human teeth and a pink tongue also covered in bulbs of crying human heads. But instead of saliva, dark red blood drips down its tongue and burns the grass to ass upon contact.

Black and white sclera and multiple purple pupils stare down at them. The sound that rumbles from the monster isn't a single voice, but a conglomeration of many different vocal chords at once. "If you lot were smart at all, you'd realize that shapeshifting isn't limited to  _human_ forms." The monster roars. "I an Invidia, the Demon of Envy. You humans… you all  _sicken_  me!"

The giant shoots forward, jaws open to swallow all five of them whole. Even disregarding being eaten alive, a single touch from its bloody saliva will liquefy them all and not even leave the bones behind. Not even Sucy would want that kind of fate.

There's no space or time to retreat. The four of them bring up their wands to defend as much as they can. Even a minute is longer than an instant.

Invidia's head towers over them. But before the darkness can envelop their forms, its head is suddenly snapped to the side by a powerful strike to its jaw. It's powerful enough to push that giant skidding away from them.

Their savior lands in front of them, red hair free from its tie and flowing in the wind.

"Professor Ursula!"

"What is going on?! I was worried when Akko hadn't shown up for her lessons-" Ursula shakes her head. "Never mind. There really is no time." Her face pales when her eyes fall on Akko. "What-?!"

"Professor, the beast is regaining its footing!" Diana calls out.

Invidia shakes its head, eyeing Ursula warily. "Hm, I haven't felt that much force from a human in centuries. Ursula Callistis. I'm causing a lot more ruckus than I'm supposed to if even you came in time. Oh well.  _She_ can deal with the repercussions later. I won't stop until all of you humans are dead." The giant snarls. "Especially that  _Atsuko Kagari_."

Their thoughts are unanimous. As they all ready to defend against the behemoth, Ursula, Sucy, Lotte, Jasminka, and even Constanze yell the same words to Diana.

"Go! Take Akko and  _GO_!!"

Diana scrambles to her feet and guides Akko's body through the air with her wand. The ground trembles with quakes from Invidia's steps. But even if she falters, Diana has no time to worry about her own life or leaving the others. She's been left with the responsibility to make sure Akko survives, one she refuses to fail.

"You're not getting awaaaaaaayyyyy!!"

Invidia lifts itself up onto its hind legs and crashes back down on its front four legs, sending a trembling shockwave through the ground. The force overturns the academy grounds, erupting mounds of jagged dirt and stone.

Their balance lost and being thrown into the air, the girls are helpless against the force pulling them all in different directions. Ursula and Jasminka fall farthest from Diana while she catches Lotte, Sucy, and Constanze land somewhere a little away from her.

As she sails through the air, Diana lurches forward and grabs onto Akko. She curves around Akko as much as she can and angles herself to land against a mound, taking the brunt of the fall with her own body.

The landing knocks the wind from her lungs. Black dots line her vision. But for the most part, Diana's irregular body holds up against a fall that should have collapsed her lungs and broken a few bones.

The only thing her homunculus body can't stop is the familiar jolt of her impaired soul crying out against her will. For a moment Diana loses consciousness until a vibration against her chest brings her back.

The next time she blinks, a giant mound of dirt is flying in her direction. Diana quickly brings up her wand and blasts it to smithereens before it crushes them.

Diana lowers her wand, sucking in a breath through clenched teeth. As much as it pains her to, she glances down at Akko to check on her wound.

(That's good. The wound hasn't reopened. Still, she will not last if she doesn't receive attention soon. I need to-)

Invidia roars. "Atsuko Kagariiiiiiiii!!"

Diana rises to her feet while fixing her hold on Akko. She spots Lotte and Sucy emerging from some of the rubble nearby and make her way toward their direction.

(I am not its true target? But… why is it aiming for Akko?)

Sucy's uncharacteristically concerned voice pulls Diana from her thoughts. "That doesn't look good, Lotte." She kneels down beside the Finnish witch who's sitting on the ground with her back against a mound of dirt.

Lotte tries to move her leg to stand, only to cry out in pain. "It might be fractured."

"And just when your arm healed."

"Sucy, you're hurt too." Lotte reaches up to wipe some of the blood peeking out from Sucy's hairline.

"Who wouldn't be injured after that?!" Stanbot beeps from Constanze's head. Compared to the other two Constanze seems less disheveled; Diana surmises that is thanks to Stanbot somehow considering the some parts of the small robot are dented and scratched. The worst appears to be a gash across Constanze's right cheek.

Sucy glances at Diana as she reaches them. She's covered in blood, dirt, and bruises, but the blood is mostly from Akko and not her.

"Diana, apparently," Sucy says. "That body of yours is pretty convenient."

Diana chooses to ignore that comment. She works on providing a quick healing spell to Lotte as she asks, "Sucy, do you have any potions effective against a monster of that size?  _Belga Veeda_ may suffice, but I doubt we will have an opening to attack with such a spell."

Sucy reaches into her cloak and pulls out a vial of black liquid. "This is probably what you want. Even a drop of this will liquefy diamonds. The only problem is it needs to be ingested. And that's not happening with its mouth like that."

The earth trembles. Invidia snaps its head side to side, throwing clumps of bloody saliva in every direction. Whatever it hits, the fluid instantly liquifies it upon contact.

Its beady pupils find their tiny forms within the rubble. Its lips pull up into a toothy smile. "Did you think you could hide from me? You will all die along with that insufferable-!"

Two simultaneous strikes from above and below shut the beast up forcibly. Ursula shoots up from the dust and slams her fist into the bottom of the beast's maw. From above, Jasminka crashes down onto the top of Invidia's snout.

Ursula grits her teeth, putting all of her anger into her fist. "You-!"

"Talk too much!" Jasminka shouts.

Between the two of them, their strikes are strong enough to blast through solid concrete. Yet, the behemoth pries its mouth open past their forces and releases an ear-shattering roar. It whips its head upward and sideways, knocking Jasminka out of the air and into the ruined entrance of Luna Nova's building. As gravity pulls Ursula down, Invidia whips its long tail around and swats Ursula away in the opposite direction.

Before she can crash against the ground, Professor Nelson suddenly swoops down to catch Ursula. With a speed and skill that would have amazed even Amanda, Nelson pulls up Ursula and seats her behind on the broom.

To Diana's surprise, she really does hear Amanda shout, "Woo hoo! Awesome catch!"

"You idiot! Not like everything's fine and dandy now! That monster's still going after Diana and the others!" Hannah yells.

"Seriously, what'd Akko do to piss this thing off?!" Barbara cries.

Spells suddenly rain down on the giant. Circling around its huge body are Finneran, Lukić, Badcock, and a few other professors. Diana picks up Holbrooke's voice somewhere farther, issuing instructions.

Despite numerous powerful spells raining down from the more experienced witches, Invidia simply shrugs them off with another deafening bellow. "Nuisances. Nuisances! I don't care about any of you! Get out of my waaaaaaaayyyyyyy!!!"

"I'd say get Akko out of here before she actually dies, but I'm starting to think this thing will level the school just to kill her." Sucy throws Akko an annoyed scowl. "This is ridiculous even for you, Akko."

Lotte stares forlornly at the sky. "What do we do? Even the professors can barely hold it back."

A body suddenly lands right next to Diana. Whipping pink pigtails alert Diana to who it is, briefly calming her racing heart.

"Everyone okay?" Jasminka asks. She wipes some blood from her eyes. Though it doesn't help much because more continues to trail down from her forehead.

"Jasminka!" Stanbot beeps, drawing everyone's attention to the tiny robot.

Constanze brings her hands in front of her, her left hand in a hammer fist while her right wraps around an invisible object. The pose reminds Diana of how Constanze appears while firing her rocket launcher. Constanze even mimics how her body jerks back from the force.

"Launch? Launch what?" Jasminka asks.

Constanze strikes her fist against her chest.

"Yourself?!"

"What-?!"

Even Diana couldn't have predicted Constanze's insane plan. Before she can connect the clues, Constanze swipes the vial from Sucy's hands and jumps onto Jasminka's shoulder. As she settles, Stanbot transforms to cover all of Constanze's body like her own suit of armor.

A metal plate extends to cover Constanze's face. Even with her expression unseen, Constanze makes her intentions clear with a confident thumbs up, asking Jasminka and the others to trust her judgment.

"Oh-!" Jasminka groans and hoists Constanze up. "FINE!"

Sucy's eyes widen. "Hey wait-!"

"Are you really-?!" Lotte gasps.

"You cannot be serious!" Diana moves to stop them.

(This is absurd! A suicide attempt! I won't allow this! I won't-!)

Constanze holds her hand out to stop Diana, shaking her ironclad head. She then turns her palm to flash Diana a thumbs up as well.

Diana shakes her head. "If you attempt to place that vial within the demon's body on your own, you will die from the toxins."

"Diana," Jasminka whispers, soft but loud enough for them to hear. "Trust us. You… you need to save Akko."

Diana's breath hitches in her throat. Of course she knows. But at this rate, she'll end up needing to save more than just Akko.

The situation has escalated to such extremes. Everything moved too quickly at too great of a scale for her to act in time. And now the consequences will be monumentous; assuming they can all survive in the first place.

Constanze is still hold up her hand, telling her to trust them. Invidia bellows not too far away, continuing to wreak havoc.

Trust.

"I… I trust you," Diana finally replies with a shaky breath. "I leave it to you. In return, I swear to prevent you from crossing to the afterlife as well."

Constanze pulls her hand back to a salute. Jasminka nods as well.

Together they bound toward the front of the beast. Jasminka jumps over mounds of upturned dirt while evading Invidia's random strikes. Constanze provides firearm support in case any rubble gets too close, but her gun doesn't have any effect against the beast itself.

Judging from the lack of wounds from the professors' attacks, it's clear that it'll be impossible to kill Invidia from the outside. They're left with no other choice but to administer the poison into its body and kill it from the inside out.

Jasminka stops in front of a mound situated directly in front of Invidia. The behemoth grins at the insignificant challenge.

"Oh? You're not who I want. But I can eat you first!"

"You two! What are you doing?!" Finneran shouts.

Jasminka lifts Constanze up. She pulls her arms back, and with a bellow of her own, catapults Constanze through the air and straight into Invidia's open mouth. Compared to the giant, the tiny witch easily passes through Invidia's mouth and down its throat.

Still, the demon continues to charge forward. Yet Jasminka makes no movements to flee. She stands atop her perch with her head held high and her entire unwavering being.

"JASMINKA!"

"JASNA!"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"MOVE!"

But Invidia suddenly freezes right before Jasminka. Its jaw remains open, its bloody saliva dripping down its teeth and stationary tongue to trickle down right in front of Jasminka. Even as steam rises from the acrid fluid, Jasminka's stare remains resolute.

"Oh…" Its wide eyes bulge. "OHHH-  **OOOOHHHHHHHHHH!!!"**

Invidia throws its head back and howls. But rather than a taunt, it's a cry laced with agony and torment. Its giant head swings side to side. The faces covering its body start to bubble like boiling water. Its eyes bulge and expand until they burst into acid. The giant white teeth that nearly crushed them all before starts to fall out one by one.

"Oh my god… Sucy, what did you make?!" Lotte cries.

Sucy's awe is caught between amazement and horror. "My best work yet. To think it'd be this effective. Even I knew not to use this on Akko."

"I'm sorry  _what_?!" Diana exclaims.

"No, no, I got Sucy to stop doing that! She's just joking!  _Right, Sucy_?!"

"Yeah yeah."

They turn back to the monster as it continues to collapse onto itself. Its green skin melts next, followed by muscle and down to bone. The guttural screams die off as the organs that allow it to cry out no longer exist. By the time its voice is nothing but a lasting impression in the wind, there is nothing left of Invidia except for its giant skeleton.

At the center of it all is Constanze on her back. The Stanbot armor no longer protects her. Instead her body is covered in numerous third degree burns and severe ulcers.

Jasminka is already rushing to her fallen friend. Before Diana can go as well, Sucy places a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"You have someone else you need to save." She gestures to Akko with her eyes. "Go. Or you're really going to lose her."

From the corner of her eyes, Diana sees Constanze lift a shaky thumbs up for the world to see. Jasminka breaks out into a watery chuckle as the other professors land beside them.

Diana nods. Without another word, she gently lifts Akko once more and takes off toward the infirmary. The room is toward the inside of the campus, so it is most likely not as damaged as the front portion.

Though even if Ophelia has no room to help Akko, Diana will save her girlfriend by any means necessary. She will not lose Akko, not after they had nearly been separated not even one year ago. She will not let their futures end so abruptly before it has even started.

(I will not let you die! I will not allow  _anyone_ to die!)

The world passes by in a blur. Diana isn't sure when she reached the infirmary and left Akko to Ophelia's care. She only stands among the flurry of movement without doing anything until someone moves her to the side to assess her own injuries. She perceives nothing of the outside world, so caught up in her own shackling thoughts.

(I will not allow anyone else to die. However…) Diana stares at her hands. (…will I be able to?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I came up with the ideas for this story _before_ chapter 12 of the Satou Keisuke manga came out. That's all I'm going to say about that XD
> 
> I did not mean to hurt Lotte _again_ and almost kill Constanze. I really did not. Please believe me.
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> If anyone is familiar with _Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood_ , yes Invidia's shapeshifting and monster form is based on Envy. Does Envy have melting blood as saliva though? Nope. I took some liberties.
> 
> Honestly, I kept the powers and form because I liked the reasoning behind it. People who are jealous of others want what others have. Which is why Invidia is able to change into any form it wishes. All of those heads on its body are supposed to represent the countless forms that it can choose to copy. And they're crying because being a Demon is suffering.


	11. Act VI.v. Loss and Gain - Innocent_Greed_1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which everyone at Luna Nova recovers from Invidia's attack. In the meantime, Diana requires her monthly checkup again- only to run into even more issues. Though at least she and others have a chance to talk through their problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a lot of talking in this chapter. So many characters, so many problems to address.
> 
> Warnings for guilt, guilt tripping, and self harm. Minor allusions to suicide.

She doesn't want to be here. Not ever, and especially not right now.

Looking at her doppelganger after catching an imposter tear its claws through Akko's body brings forth a new sense of nausea. Her stomach churns so much more from her own face than the steel infesting her other body. Unable to look at herself, Diana keeps her gaze down onto the grass of her world.

"You let Akko get hurt. She almost  _died_ ," her doppelganger vituperates. Her accusations cut through Diana's defenses as easily as any of the blades on her body. But she is not wrong.

"I was weak," Diana admits, her head bowed to avoid her own scathing eyes.

"You  _are_ weak. So, so weak." The other Diana steps up to her and grabs both her hands, sinking the tips of its blades through her flesh. "What can these hands protect? Nothing. You nearly lost Akko. Constanze almost died. So did the others. Your beloved school was almost leveled by a single monster. And what did you do? No, what  _could_ you have done? Nothing. Even if you threw your life away, it would have amounted to  _nothing_."

Diana barely flinches. "I knew of that already. You have stated so. Again and again."

The other Diana tugs her forward, smashing their foreheads together. But with the blades still entrenched in her hands, Diana can't run away. Not that she tries.

Diana rests her torn forehead against steel, letting the blood trail down her face in place of tears.

"Again and again and again. So long as you believe it, I will continue saying it. Whether it be your version of me in your dreams, or an actualization through some method as that shapeshifter had done. You are  _weak_ , Diana Cavendish. And it's only a matter of time before you truly drown in this despair."

The doppelganger tears her right hand from Diana's left, ripping open the flesh. The agony from the wound is replaced by the familiar hole in her chest as the other Diana spears her free hand through her body.

"Drown, drown, drown," she sings into Diana's ear. "And don't forget to scream and cry while you fall."

Diana sighs, letting the pain of her wounds and guilt pull her away from this dreamscape. But as the world fades to black, an unexpected voice suddenly cries her name.

"Diana! Don't lose, Diana!"

Diana's eyes shoot open. For months she's only heard her own voice in her head. This is the first time she's ever heard anyone else's.

The distant voice continues to plead, "Don't give up! If you do, your most important person will-!"

Her doppelganger clicks her tongue. She pushes her arm deeper into Diana's chest to fully kick Diana from her own subconsciousness.

Before she returns to darkness, Diana strains her ears enough to pick up the foreigner leaving her one last befuddling warning:

"Beware the Demon Witch."

* * *

Diana's eyes snap open, lungs gasping for air. Her arms and the left side of her face are a little numb from falling asleep over her crossed arms. Ignoring the tingling in her arms, Diana sits up and places a hand over her heaving chest.

(I am alive. I am awake. She's gone. It's alright.)

She presses the tips of her fingers against her chest. She keeps applying pressure even when her nails penetrate past her shirt and dig into skin. Her mouth opens in preparation to scream. But no sound comes out.

(It isn't enough. I haven't done enough. I will fall. And so will the others. No one must die. Yet everyone will die. No, I will not let that-)

The pressure she receives isn't enough. She presses against her chest harder, digs her nails in deeper. Yet no matter how much she pries she can't get rid of the lingering pain. Her nails are not as sharp as the tips of swords. But her own strength can't match that of her curses. That in itself is a curse of her own volition.

(She is right. Who am I to proclaim such a statement? Where is the strength I need? My source of strength…)

"-stop! Diana  _stop_!"

Warm fingers wrap around her wrist. With a single tug, someone much stronger pulls Diana's hand from her chest. The sudden disappearance of pressure pulls what little breath Diana had from lungs and drags her back to reality.

Diana snaps her head up to meet the worried gaze of Professor Ursula. Her red eyes shine strong and resolute as always. But there is a sense of wariness and concern swimming in the determination.

They look familiar. Those eyes remind her of another pair that had kept an eye on her with overwhelming concern since over a year ago.

Looking to the side, Diana finds the person in question lying in bed and staring at her with a gaze… she does not expect. There's no strength from Akko. She stares at Diana with wide, aghast eyes. Or rather, Akko's fearful gaze is fixated on Diana's chest where her fingers were digging into.

"I-" Diana coughs through the hitch of breath in her throat. "I'm alright. I- Akko, you're awake!"

"Diana…" Ursula sighs. "Akko is… fine. She won't be able to move for a few days but her life isn't in danger anymore. Ophelia recommended she refrain from talking to save her strength. Diana." Ursula tightens her grip on Diana's wrist. "Akko is  _fine_. You… you are not."

Diana shakes her head. "My injuries were minor and taken care of."

"Not your physical ones. Diana, when was the last time you slept?"

Such an insignificant question. She's already answered this numerous times. "I don't recall. A few days ago perhaps."

"Then, how often do you try to rip out your own heart?"

Diana freezes. She hears a small gasp from the infirmary bed. But Diana can't bear to look at Akko right now. Not when the sight of her so weak and having barely avoided death nearly kills her with guilt again.

"I-" She knows denying it is pointless when they've both witnessed it. But admitting and explaining are another mountain to climb. Even if she wants to speak of it freely, her voice catches in her throat. So she settles for a half truth. "I… I don't recall."

"Diana, I'm not interrogating you." Another gentle squeeze from the caring mother figure. "We want to help. We all do. Even if we haven't spent as much time around you as Akko has, we know how much you've gone through- how much you're going through now. We want to help."

"I'm not certain how," Diana admits. "Nothing has helped. No remedy, no company, no love-" Diana chuckles bitterly. "I have never coveted peace so much as I have in the past month. I believed happiness could be reached if I simply held steadfast to my beliefs. However… how can I do that if I have neither the strength nor any solid principles of my own?"

"You're not giving yourself enough credit. You've made it this far-"

"And I can barely hold on any longer. I…" Diana grits her teeth. "I am falling. And I cannot fathom any way to stop myself without dragging others down with me into ruin as well."

"That isn't true. We're all willing to-"

"Akko nearly died. You as well, Professor Ursula. Constanze, Jasminka, Lotte, Sucy; must I list more?" Somehow, admitting near casualties comes easy to Diana now. "Before I knew it, the number of people I wished to protect only grew in number. But I cannot protect them all. And due to reasons I cannot fathom, we are all in danger due to my association. And I am powerless to prevent further tragedy from occurring."

"Who… said… you… gotta… do… it… alone…?"

Diana and Ursula's head snap to the weak voice that came from the girl lying in bed. The fear from before is no longer present in her gaze. It's now replaced by a burning rage reflected like flames in Akko's bright red eyes. Anger at the world for being so cruel, and anger at Diana herself for being so…

"Diana… you're… so…  _stupid_!" Akko sucks in a deep breath, wincing from the pain that shoots through her right side.

Ursula lets go of Diana to gently keep Akko from moving around. "Akko, if you keep straining yourself you'll only have to stay in the hospital even longer!"

"No!" Akko hisses, but keeps her glare on Diana. "You can't… do… everything! So stop trying… to do… it all… on… your own!"

"I…"

Blood flashes across her eyes. Akko's dead body lies in front of her, surrounded by other bodies littering the ground. Her friends, her professors, her family; she cannot save anyone.

They will all end up dead.

"You're wrong!" Akko shouts despite Ursula's coaxing.

Diana gasps. She spoke aloud.

Akko clenches her jaws and grits out, "No one's… gonna die! Not me… not Professor Ursula… not our friends… not  _you_!" Akko's voice trembles, tears pricking her eyes. "No one's dying. Please. I don't… I don't want to lose anyone again…!"

The edges of her own eyes begin to sting. Shaking her head, Diana rises from her seat and strides out of the infirmary. She doesn't hear Ursula call out for her. She barely realizes that she nearly runs into Amanda on the way out.

The campus is half destroyed from Invidia's attack three nights ago. Most of the infrastructure has been restored and the wounded parties tended to. The only exceptions are Akko, Constanze, and others who received more serious injuries and had to stay hospitalized for a few more days.

So many had nearly lost their lives. A few are even mysteriously missing; McKinley and… the other name escapes her. She doesn't remember much of what the professors relayed as she was waiting for Akko's status to stabilize.

Although Invidia had targeted Akko for the most part, Diana can't help but believe the demon's existence still has some relation to her. The timing occurring so soon after she was attacked in the hallway is no coincidence.

Making up her mind, Diana changes her previously random trajectory to head to her bedroom instead. Whatever is aiming for her life, there is a possibility that it will take action once she is away from the protections of Luna Nova. And when that occurs, at least there will be less people who may become collateral damage.

It is about time for her monthly examination anyway.

Diana reaches her room and walks toward her side behind her bookshelf. She grabs a duffle and places five days worth of clothes into the bag. Once her essentials are all packed, she zips up the bag and slings the strap over her shoulder.

She places a shaky hand on her chest, slightly above where she had dug her fingers in before. This time the touch is light, only meant to check if a certain ornament is around her neck. The flat item is where it should be.

With everything grabbed, Diana takes her broom and casts one last glance at her room before leaving. To her surprise, Sucy, Hannah, Barbara, and Lotte with her crutches are waiting on the other side once she opens the door.

"Is there something you girls need?" Diana asks.

Barbara doesn't answer, instead asking her own question. "Diana, where are you going?"

Hannah huffs. "You know Akko's asking for you."

Diana's chest twists. She takes a deep breath to calm her erratic heart. "Please inform her that I will be away for a few days. I had nearly forgotten that it is time for my examination with Lady Sophia."

"Don't you usually do that here?" Sucy asks.

"She informed me prior that she had other business to attend to."

"Diana… Akko is upset," Lotte says.

Diana sighs. "I… assume so."

"What did you say to her?" Hannah asks. "Jasminka's holding Amanda back right now from coming to find you and beating some sense into you. That's how upset she is."

"We shared a few… tense words," Diana answers carefully. "I was planning to continue with the conversation once I returned and she regains her strength."

It's both a truth and a lie. Diana wants nothing more than to forget about their discussion and never bring it up again. But running from Akko is the most unacceptable transgression she can ever commit. As much as it pains her, Diana could never bear to leave her loved ones behind.

"So you're not leaving and planning on never coming back?" Barbara asks.

"No. The timing is only coincidental. And…" Diana exhales. "I suppose we both need some rest."

"I hope you aren't planning to travel alone though," Ursula's voice says, unexpectedly from behind Hannah and the others.

Diana stares at the professor's unexpected packed state. She's not carrying a broom, but Ursula has her own duffle slung over her shoulder.

Ursula smiles. "I've left a note with the headmistress as well. They'll understand."

"What about Akko?"

"I think she has plenty of people who will look after her." Ursula glances at the four witches between herself and Diana. "You two have very capable friends."

"We'll make sure Akko doesn't die," Sucy says. "So…"

"Take care of yourself too, Diana." Lotte hobbles forward on her crutches until she's in front of Diana. She places a hand on Diana's shoulder. "We're here for you too."

Hannah flashes her a toothy grin. "Yeah. You're always helping us and… well, everyone with things. You have to have people to lean on too. And no, Akko isn't enough."

"You can count on us. We've been saying we'll be here for you," Barbara adds.

Ursula turns her smile to Diana. "See? It isn't so bad if you remember that. Now, let's get going so you can come back as soon as possible. Are you sure you don't want to say goodbye to Akko?"

"I will see her in a few days." Despite the despair still churning within her, Diana lets herself smile. "I will make certain of it."

* * *

The flight to the Pavlova Mansion passes by uneventful. This is only the second time Diana has had to visit Sophia personally instead of doing her examination at Luna Nova. In total, this visit marks the third time in the past year that she's visited the Pavlova residence.

However, this is the first time that she's accompanied by Ursula. The first was with Hannah and Barbara. The two had been outright terrified of Sophia, so having Ursula as her guardian will make the encounter less awkward.

The closer they get to the other side of the leyline, the tighter Ursula's grip on Diana's waist becomes.

(Or perhaps not.)

"Professor Ursula, why did you volunteer to accompany me?" Diana asks.

Ursula starts from the sudden question after silence for so long. "Eh? I wouldn't just leave you to go alone! What if you were attacked?"

"I understand the need for caution. However, you could have delegated anyone else to the task. Perhaps Hannah and Barbara or even Amanda, as they were the…" Diana grits her teeth, "least injured from Invidia's incursion. You are still recovering as well. Why did you choose to come yourself? Especially when…"

"I have to face her."

The whisper is nearly inaudible. But because the leyline is stable, the silence carries Ursula's voice through.

"It has been nearly a year," Diana says.

"Diana, you aren't the only one with lingering guilt."

Diana isn't sure how to reply to that. Her silence urges Ursula to continue.

"Just when I thought I was getting somewhere with Croix, I make another irreversible decision. But I don't regret it. Killing Egor meant I wouldn't lose everything important to me. I've made mistakes, but I don't plan on throwing away my life. And most of all, I would never forgive myself if I let Croix or any other irreplaceable person dear to me die. Therefore, I don't regret it. It's only taken me a little longer to gather the courage to tell that to who it really matters. That's why I chose to come with you this time. To tell that person that I am sorry, but I wouldn't changed my decision."

Diana's hands tighten against her broom, letting the coarse wood chafe her palms. "Even when you took another life? The life of someone who was cherished by another?"

"Humans are selfish. If I hadn't done what needed to be done, both Croix and I would have died. In the end, I chose to save myself and my loved one over a stranger." Ursula chuckles. "What a horrible example I'm setting. But in the end, you can only make a few limiting decisions based on weighing the pros and cons. It's just in poor taste that killing people has to be the example."

The rest of the flight returns to silence. Ursula's words leave Diana with many considerations. But they exit the leyline and reach the Pavlova Mansion before she can contemplate them for long.

Diana lowers their altitude down for them to land at the entrance to the familiar mansion. Two faceless homunculi greet them and hold out their arms to take their belongings.

Diana passes her belongings to one of the homunculi. "Thank you. Where is Lady Sophia?"

"Right here," Sophia says, walking up to them with her cigar already lighted. She grimaces as soon as she gets a look at the two witches. "For fucks sake what tried to kill you this time? And… I see you brought someone different."

Ursula bows. "Pleased to meet again, Lady Sophia. I'll be Diana's guardian while she's here."

Sophia Pavlova stares at Ursula's bowed head. Neither of them move or speak. When the silence starts to stretch for too long, Diana opens her mouth to interject with anything to break the awkward tension.

Thankfully, Sophia finally sighs and grumbles, "Lift your head already. I don't need any more wimps. Those two you brought last time were bad enough."

"In all fairness, they are easily intimidated," Diana says as Ursula rights herself.

Sophia scoffs. "Those two? I doubt it and you know it. They look like the type to spit in a demon's face if it so much as insulted them. Or tried anything to you."

Sophia's teasing brings a small smile to Diana's face. "That may be true. Though they do know their place. They understand who you are, Lady Sophia."

"You've got good friends. Reminds me, how's that Kagari doing?"

Now both Diana and Ursula frown. "Actually…"

Sophia leads them through the mansion as Diana and Ursula take turns debriefing Sophia about the events over the past month. By the end of the tale, they reach the rear of the mansion where the physical examination will take place.

They stop by the exit. Sophia grabs her half-finished cigar and smashes it against the wall with her palm.

"You know, when I asked what tried to kill you again, I wasn't actually serious." Sophia crushes the rest of the cigar in her hand and dumps the litter onto the grass outside. "You said the demon called itself Invidia? Having a demon of that caliber as your enemy… you two have some horrid luck."

"Do you know of the demon? And how it could be tied to Diana's possible attacker?" Ursula asks.

"Probably no more than you do. I specialize in homunculi bodies and prosthetics, not demonology or shadow magic."

"I thought you had no intentions to advertise your creations for profit," Diana says.

"You and that other annoying brat are the only exceptions. Speaking of which, I have to deal with him too." Sophia leads Diana and Ursula into the field outside where two others are already waiting.

Diana blinks. "Daniel. And Katherine!"

The little girl turns around and breaks out into a huge grin. "Diana!"

Diana braces herself for Katherine's inevitable hug. Her younger cousin crashes into her and buries her head in Diana's stomach.

Katherine looks up. "It's so nice to see you again!"

Diana smiles. "And you as well. It's been some time." She finds her other cousin. "You look well, Daniel."

Daniel waves at her, still sitting down on the grass. "Hey. Guess you're here for your examination too."

"Yes, though mine are mandatory. Why are you here?"

Daniel rolls his right shoulder. "I, uh, needed some repairs."

Sophia scowls. "This idiot  _broke_ the arm I specially made for him. Through a  _bet_."

Katherine giggles. "I said that Daniel can't use the Brisingr as well as Uncle Arthur could. So we went to test his maximum output on the barrier around the Regulus Caverns."

"You did  _what_?!" Diana and Ursula exclaim.

"It's fine. I couldn't destroy the barrier," Daniel grumbles. "The only thing I obliterated was my own arm."

"My homunculi aren't made to withstand that insane output from your blasted sword!" Sophia shouts. "So not only do you have to waste my time, but now I have to deal with you both at once! How Bernadette had the patience to handle a family of idiots is beyond my understanding. By the Nine, the boy is practically Arthur from his younger days at this point! You've certainly replicated his appearance and stupidity well enough."

Daniel sighs. "Mother was furious, so much so that she even yelled at Katherine. Anyway, Katherine's here with me as punishment. And…" A shiver runs up his spine, "mine is waiting for me once my arm is fixed with a proper replacement."

"Are you insane? Why would you return to the Regulus Caverns? You were the one who abhorred the thought of staying any longer after we nearly died not once but multiple times!" Diana says.

"I wasn't planning on going in. And if I did break it, I'd just have a spellcaster recast the barrier. You witches should have someone capable of doing so, yes?"

Diana pinches the bridge of her nose. "It is  _not_ as easy as it seems. In any case, at least your foolish actions only cost you your arm."

"And a big part of his allowance," Katherine adds.

"Katherine, you were the one who goaded Daniel into making such an asinine decision," Diana chides.

"More like your ego needs to be checked if you let your younger sister rile you so much," Sophia comments. "Anyway, we'll get started on both of your physical therapies at the same time. Saves me the time and headache. Actually, that girl needs to check your initial condition first."

Diana realizes that there is one person missing from their group. "Where is Sakura?"

"She should be done with what she has planned… ah, now."

Their second examiner strides up to them, previously hidden by Sophia's much larger form. Sakura stops next to Sophia with a pride smile and white paint splattered all over her face and clothes. The strange look earns her a few curious gazes.

"Today's PT is going to be a little different," Sakura announces. "You'll be running laps!"

"WHAT?!" Daniel shoots up to his feet. "Why?! I only need therapy for my arm! Running has nothing to do with it!"

"Daniel hates running in circles 'cus it's boring," Katherine whispers to Diana.

A shrill whistle cuts off Daniel's protests. "No excuses! You're here for therapy, we do it my way!"

"You just want to make us run!"

Sophia groans. "Just shut up and listen to her or I'll charge you double, brat."

"Ick-!"

Sakura turns to Diana. "First, let's check to see how Diana's doing first." She frowns. "Why do you look like you haven't slept in days?"

"That…" Diana sighs. "I suppose I should explain the situation once more."

* * *

Once Sakura and Sophia perform an initial examination of Diana's condition, they decide she's physically stable enough to continue with the planned physical therapy.

"I don't like how you're doing  _otherwise_ , but your soul's pretty steady at least," Sakura had said.

So now Diana and Daniel are running laps around a makeship track painted by Sakura herself. The white paint is clearly visible against the green grass thanks to Sakura's hard work; it somewhat explains why she's covered in so much of it. To the side, Sakura and Katherine take turns blowing their whistles in a rhythm as a way to set the pace for the runners.

 _Tweet_.  _Tweet_.  _Tweet_.

 _Tweet_.  _Tweet_.  _Tweet_.

 _Tweet_.  _Tweet_.  _Tweet_.

 _Tweet_!  _Tweet_!  _Tweet_!  _Tweet_!  _Tweet_!

"That's too fast, damn it!!" Daniel roars.

"Don't complain! Keep running!" Katherine shouts back.

"You little-! You're mad! Why are you even mad at  _me_?! You're here because of your own mistakes!"

 _Tweet_! "If you can talk back to me you can run faster!"

Daniel screams in the distance.

"Do you hate your brother?" Sakura asks, actually concerned.

Katherine scoffs. "He's a little weenie. He acts all tough but that's just to hide how much of a softie he is. Someone has to beat him into shape." Katherine blows into her whistle. "Going to those caves with Diana last year did help him though. He came back just a little bit more confident!"

"Ohh?! Is this the rumored 'tough love' that I've heard so much about?!"

"Um, you can say that. Do you not have any siblings?"

Sakura blows weakly into her whistile. "No. My father - the late Fei Wong Reed - adopted me as an orphan a few years ago. I don't remember anything before he took me in. And he never had any other kids."

Katherine gasps. "But your dad-! Isn't he-?!"

Sakura nods. "He died with Diana. But unlike Diana, he didn't have any plans to come back. He had something to do in that forest. I told him to do what he needed to or he'd regret it, but…"

Sakura bows her head. It's suddenly hard for her to keep speaking. There's a lump in her throat, one that should have been released a long time ago. All this time it's been suppressed for the sake of not worrying others.

But it hurts. Losing a loved one hurts. She said she was fine with it, but…

Katherine suddenly pulls Sakura into a tight hug. Despite being around the same age, Katherine's just tall enough to have Sakura's head rest against the crook of her neck.

"My grandfather died then too. He was scary and kind of mean, but he still loved us. I don't think Mother liked him very much. She was always arguing with him. Daniel himself would always tense up whenever Grandfather came near us." Katherine groans. "There was a lot going on in our family that I didn't really get. But… Grandfather was nice to me. He always patted me on the head like how my Father used to. And now he's gone too."

Katherine is so warm. Sakura doesn't remember the last time she's been enveloped in kindness that relieves the stresses hounding her. Her father had loved her so much, maybe too much. She's done her best to stay strong. But right now she just wants to cry.

So she does. Standing in a field with a girl who is only an acquaintance, Sakura releases all the tears she's held back for the past year into the shoulder offering her comfort.

Katherine tightens her hold on Sakura, her own tears trailing down her cheeks. She chuckles, all watery and filled with snot. "I know old people have to die, but they should die from, you know, old age."

Sakura giggles. "You're funny, Katherine."

"Finally  _someone_ appreciates my humor."

"Father's was worse. Never let old people try to be funny."

"Well, it's a good thing Grandfather never tried to be funny. Unless he was making a joke about fighting. I never understood those. I don't think he was a very nice person. What was your father like?"

"Mine? Um…" Sakura furrows her brows. "He was quiet. And kind of broody. Even though he told me I made him a lot happier than before, I could tell that there was something he was always thinking about that made him sad. After saving me from a bad past, I wanted to help him feel better too. But I knew this was something that I wouldn't be able to understand, even if he was willing to talk about it; which he wasn't." Sakura sighs. "But I loved my father. He told me that he'd be alright as long as I was smiling. That was a lie, but it was the least I could do."

"Sakura, has anyone told you that you're really mature for your age?"

"Kind of. Not as much as Diana though."

The two girls giggle together.

"Yeah," Katherine finds Diana running around the grass with Daniel. "Diana's really cool, isn't she?"

"Your brother seems nice too."

"Hmph. Diana is  _so_ much nicer and cooler than my idiot brother. I wish she was my sister."

"At least you're actually related to her. Besides, your brother can't be all bad."

"I guess he's ok-"

"Hey!" Daniel shouts. "What kind of trainers are you?! Where's my cue?!"

Katherine pulls away from Sakura and blows into her whistle five times in a row. "You're so ungrateful! Can't you see I'm having a heart-to-heart with someone?! You horrible, stupid, good-for-nothing brother!"

Sakura sighs. "I think I'm glad I don't have any siblings."

"Who are you calling a good-for-nothing, you crybaby?!" Daniel retorts.

"Says the one who starts bawling as soon as Mother raises her voice!"

"That was  _one_ time!!!"

* * *

Ursula jumps from the sound of Sophia clicking her tongue above her.

"What are those brats yelling about now?" Sophia wonders, swishing a glass of brown liquid and ice around. "Well, I guess it means they're in good shape if they can keep talking after running twenty laps in the past twenty minutes."

And then Daniel drops face-first into the grass. Diana drops onto her knees not long after.

"Well, they  _were_ running at an average of one minute per lap nonstop," Ursula remarks. "Lady Sophia, is that alcohol?"

"Медовуха actually." Instead of drinking it herself, Sophia offers the glass to Ursula. "And it's for you."

"Me?"

"There's something you need to say to me. Figured this would help calm the nerves." Sophia brandishes a bottle of Медовуха with her other hand. "I have my own."

As it's impolite to turn down her host, Ursula accepts the offered drink as Sophia takes a seat on the grass beside her. With the drink cupped between her hands, Ursula stares into the dark liquid as she gathers her thoughts.

Finally, Ursula chooses to begin with, "Do you miss your brother?"

"You're really going to ask that when you already know the answer?"

"Then I'll ask a different question. Do you hate me?"

Sophia takes a gulp from her bottle. "Not anymore. I did before, starting a long time ago. My hatred for Chariot du Nord lasted for over a decade. It was only a few months ago did I finally start to move on."

Ursula gapes at Sophia. "That name-! You-!"

"Yeah, I've known for awhile. I had no idea where you disappeared to after Shiny Chariot stopped performing, but I couldn't mistaken that bright red hair for anyone else. You really took me by surprise that day you arrived at my mansion with those two kids."

"You've hated me since back then…" Ursula's breath hitches. "Then you know what I-"

"That as well. I wasn't certain, but the coincidence was too well-timed. There's no other reason Egor could have lost his abilities to use magic at that timing. I had no proof, but at that point you had already disappeared from the world. It wasn't as if I could have chased you down myself."

Ursula bows her head. "I killed your brother  _twice_."

"Yeah, you really are something. I just have one question of my own." Sophia tips the alcohol into her mouth, this time only taking a sip. "Did you know your shows took away the ability to use magic?"

"No." Ursula shakes her head fervently. "No, not at all. If I had known, I would have stopped immediately. I wasn't aware of the side effects of that kind of performance. Even now, I wish there was a way to prevent that from happening. It would have saved so many people from pain. Egor, Akko, and everyone else who was hurt indirectly from my mistakes." Ursula runs her hands over the glass of alcohol. "Even so, I won't apologize for… killing him the second time. The first time I had no control over the situation. The second I willingly ended Egor's life to save my own. I don't expect you to forgive me. But I won't regret my choice."

Neither women speak. Ursula has said what she needed. She'll take Sophia's anger with no complaints.

Yet, the anger never comes. In fact, the only abuse Ursula receives is a light tap against the side of her head. And to her surprise, the contact is cool instead of warm.

Sophia retracts the bottle but doesn't drink from it anymore. "My god, you're really something. I've never seen anyone look as pathetic as you do. Even someone who's kicked all the puppies in the existence wouldn't look as sad as you."

"I'm… sorry?"

Sophia rolls her eyes. "Yeah, I get it. You don't have to apologize. In fact, you can  _stop_ apologizing. Has anyone told you that you do that too much?"

"It… may have been mentioned once or twice."

"I was kidding, but that doesn't sound like a joke from you." Sophia sighs. "I was never angry that you killed Egor in that forest. The kid lost his mind a long time ago. I'm surprised he hadn't done anything criminal until then. He tried to kill you, and you only defended yourself. I can't get mad at you for that. The only reason I ever wanted to hunt you down was because of what you had done ten years ago."

"Then why didn't you on the day I arrived with Akko and Diana?" Ursula asks.

"Do you really think I would kill you with those kids in my house? Imagine them finding their professor dead or missing. I won't be so cruel. But mainly… the way you held yourself didn't seem like someone who would willing do something as malicious as rob a spellcaster of their magic." Sophia places her bottle onto the grass beside her. "Chariot du Nord, I forgave you a long time ago. I think it's about time you do the same for yourself."

Ursula smiles lightly. "It's something I'm working on." She takes her first large gulp of alcohol. The warm liquid burns her throat, but she bears through it.

Sophia guffaws. "I can tell you don't drink often."

Ursula coughs. "It… isn't one of my indulgences. Is that honey I taste? I'm surprised."

"What? Doesn't seem like something I'd drink?" Sophia raises an eyebrow in challenge.

"I assumed you were the vodka type."

"Of course you would. That's all my country is known for, isn't it?"

"That and wrestling bears. We have a student from Russia who does on her free time."

Sophia pales. "We don't… actually wrestle bears here. It's an old, misinformed joke. And you say a  _student_ does that? Hm, perhaps some of the families who live in rural areas partake in that ridiculous sport. Who is the student?"

"Jasminka Antonenko. I don't think the Antonenko family is too well known- Eh?! Lady Sophia why are you scowling?!"

"I know them, I know them very well," Sophia grumbles. "Crazy folks way up north. Yeah, they're definitely the type to wrestle bears for fun. Their standing isn't anywhere near the Six Great Houses, but they've done some pretty insane stuff. Fought against Egor  _one_ time and they keep pestering me to send some of my homunculi as punching bags. They're definitely a couple of folks with a few screws loose."

"Oh! But Jasminka is such a sweet girl. I wouldn't have imagined her family to be a couple of fighting fanatics."

"Yeah, well," Sophia points to the collapsed children farther away, "did you think those idiots came from a family of knights?"

Unable to refute, Ursula nods solemnly. "Looks can sure be deceiving…"

* * *

"Fuah!" After taking another gulp from his water bottle, Daniel collapses onto his back with his arms and legs sprawled out. "I can't run anymore! I'm done!" He turns his head over to Sakura and Katherine, who are sitting on the grass and talking amicably. On the other side, Ursula and Sophia are laughing about something as well. "Geez, they're all so cheerful. Even that terrifying woman looks completely at ease."

Diana takes a seat beside him, choosing to sit with her legs crossed in front of her. "I had thought those two shared some animosity. However, it seems they have communicated what needed to be and are on good terms now."

"All while we were running for our lives." Daniel raises an arm and clenches his fist. "This stupid exercise isn't even relevant to getting accustomed to my new arm."

"Why did you try to match your pace with mine? You know this body has higher capabilities than the normal human's."

"Hah, and get ridiculed even more? As if I would allow that!" Daniel turns to the side to grumble, "Even though I had to use  _Magna Aestus_ halfway through to keep up. That body of yours is something."

"Your petty competitiveness rivals Akko's."

"I have a feeling you just insulted me. Speaking of which, where is your girlfriend anyway? I would have expected her to accompany you, given how much you two care for each other."

Usually just mentioning the world 'girlfriend' would cause some sort of disturbance in Diana's composure. But instead of abashment, Diana's entire demeanor turns solemn and rather depressing.

Diana's thumbs circle around her water bottle. "She was severely injured a few days ago. An attack on the school left her bedridden. She is still recovering, hence I am here with Professor Ursula instead."

"I'm… sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. You had no way of knowing."

The familiar guilt gnaws at her insides. Diana closes her eyes and focuses on the cool condensation underneath the pads of her thumbs. The droplets stick to her skin, some even absorbed through. If her hands were still steel, she wouldn't be able to perceive such a natural process.

"Diana, hey Diana." Daniel places a hand on Diana's shoulder. "Stare at your bottle any harder and it may spontaneously combust. I know you're skilled enough to cast a wandless spell."

Diana shakes her head, peeling her eyes from her bottle to face Daniel. "You give me too much credit. I told you I am nowhere near as skilled as you believe.  _Magna Aestus_ is the only wandless spell I can cast with efficiency."

"That doesn't mean you can't perform it at all." Daniel retracts his arm and scoots a few centimeters away now that Diana's attention is back to him. "Look, you've haven't given me any reason to doubt your capabilities. Not to mention you were the one to suppress the Witch of Corruption with Fei Wong Reed- Why are you staring at me?"

Diana blinks. "Oh, I apologize. I hadn't realized my gaze was lingering."

"What? Is there something on my face?" Daniel grumbles.

"No, you… you remind me of my father."

Daniel's mouth opens, then snaps shut as he understands why. "My scar." The tips of his fingers graze the long, horizontal mark across the bridge of his nose. "I suppose my haircut doesn't help either. Mother tells me I look nearly identical to Uncle Arthur in his youth before he married Lady Bernadette. The only difference is," Daniel scowls, "I am… shorter."

"I do not have many clear memories of my father from childhood. Most of what I remember is after his soul entered my body through the Brisingr."

"Ah, I am the same. Well, with the exception of the soul conundrum." Daniel pulls his legs to his chest and rests the top of his head on his kneecaps. "I have some memories, but they're hazy at best. Though your father did pass away before mine."

"Pardon me, but I was never too familiar with Uncle Welkin."

"Father was… different from Uncle Arthur and Grandfather. I have to say he was pretty different from Matthew too. In a family such as ours, he was the black sheep who cared little for fighting. He learned our techniques, but never took pride in his skills. He wasn't like me with low confidence; he just never held any interest. He resolved to take up the title as the next head of the House of Reinhardt after Uncle Arthur for no greater reason than to please Grandfather. He held no personal desire to take the title." Daniel sighs. "Mother says he would have hated to take a life. I can certainly believe that."

Diana's grip tightens around her bottle. "And how do you feel about that?"

"Killing? I can't say; I've never actually taken a life. The closest was against Renatus back in the Arcturus Forest. But he injured me and fled before I could do more than nick his eye."

"How about the thought of it? In a what-if scenario?"

Daniel hums. "The thrill of battle both frightens and innervates me. But to actually kill… I suppose I would not hesitate."

Diana's eyes widen. "You would willingly take the life of someone else? Even if they had loved ones waiting for them?"

"It's the same for us though. We have people we can't lose either. When you're on the battlefield, you either defend yourself or you let yourself be killed. Instead of losing your own life, you take the life of the one who is trying to kill you and those important to you."

"I don't believe it's as simple as you say."

"Probably not. But there's no point thinking about situations that haven't happened. In any case, I stand by my belief that there is no reason to abhor taking a life if it is to defend yourself and what you cherish."

"And what if I have already made such a decision… and have come to regret it?"

Daniel lifts his head. His eyes widen as understanding dawns on him. "I am an  _idiot_. You were the one who took Renatus' life in the end. You're… my god, how long have you been thinking about this?"

Diana's thumbs return to circling around her bottle. Though the condensation around that area has been rubbed away, the smoothness of the plastic helps calm Diana's nerves.

"I can't give you a definite answer. Truthfully, I've lost track of the time."

Daniel runs a hand through his short blonde hair, the action so reminiscent of Arthur Reinhardt that it strikes a pang in Diana's chest. Her thumbs circle faster.

"You had no other choice. Renatus was trying to kill you. To kill all of us," Daniel reasons.

"I understand that much. I know my reasons are sound. However…" Her thumbs stop moving. Instead, she clenches her hands and digs her thumbs into the plastic. "I can't forget the warmth of his chest entrapping my arm, as the blood soaked into the blades forming my body. My arm had slid so  _easily_  through his body. I had taken his life without much hesitation."

"You had to. Otherwise, it would have been you with the hole in your chest."

"And what if this occurs again? And again, and again, and again? What if I continue to kill until I stand on a mountain of corpses, all for the sake of living?!"

The bottle between her hands burst. It attracts the attention of the other four women farther away. However, the boy sitting next to her doesn't flinch.

Fierce teal connects with weary blue. "Then live! You have every right to lament death. But that doesn't mean it's acceptable to let it drive you to insanity. What is the point of surviving if the thought of what is lost drags you down with the corpses?!"

Diana flings the broken bottle away from her. "How do I achieve peace when it haunts every corner of my consciousness?!"

"You stop considering it an entirely  _horrible_ thing!"

Diana starts. "In what universe is murder  _not_ atrocious in the least?!"

"Maybe if you stopped thinking about all the negatives and focused on what you still have!" Daniel growls. "Or better yet, stop thinking so much in general. You're a bright and gifted witch, Diana. But your logic will get you killed through insanity rather than by a blade that you can easily avoid."

"I-" Diana shakes her head. "That is easier said than done."

"I know. Baby steps. Start with what you know. Who's been beside you all this time? Who was there for you the moment you could even  _remember_ killing Renatus?"

Diana's eyes widen. "Akko."

"And she's not the only one, is she? There's your roommates who were always glued by you even though I've only seen them once." Daniel gestures to Ursula as she and Sophia come over to check on them. "That professor of yours seems to care about you from what I see. And I'm sure there are others back at Luna Nova and back home. You have Katherine and I as well."

"Countless. Before I knew it, the number of people whom I held dear increased so much that I cannot keep track." Diana opens and closes her fists in front of her, imagining all of the people she cannot afford to lose. The amount exceeds the number of fingers, too many for her to grasp with her small, weak hands.

"All of us are here for you. One day, you're going to have to make that horrible decision again to save one of us. When that day comes, there will be someone standing by your side to make sure you make the right choice and never regret it for long."

Diana shakes her head. "And what if I cannot? I am but one person. I cannot save everyone."

"Are you even listening to me?" Daniel flicks Diana's forehead, earning a surprised gasp from her. "There are numerous people who stand beside you. Just as you want to protect us, we want to protect you as well. You're not holding us all in the palm of your hands; we stand beside you. You don't have big enough hands to hold us all. No one does. That is why trust and support is so important."

Diana rubs her sore forehead. "You are… quite confident in this."

Daniel scoffs. "I was the one who asked you to help me lead the House of Reinhardt in the first place. I know how difficult it is to take on heavy burdens by myself. As I said before, I'm surprised you haven't been crushed yet. It's alright to accept help from others to relieve some weight from your shoulders."

Sophia's barking laughter pulls the two from their conversation. "Alright, I've held back long enough. You're not such a stupid brat after all, Reinhardt. You can say some pretty meaningful things. And you, Diana. You must be a bigger idiot than I thought if you're getting lectured by  _him_."

"I'm not sure if I want to argue against your insult or simply take your praise," Daniel mutters.

"My thoughts as well," Diana says.

"'What if I kill again?' So what if you do?" Sophia towers over the two children. From her height, it's impossible to avoid looking at the scars that mar her face and chest. "As long as you're human, you'll be selfish. As long as you're selfish, you'll want things. To get what you want, you have to make decisions and put in the effort. Sometimes it means sacrificing; you may lose more than you gain. But in the end, you'll gain  _something_  no matter how little- even if that small victory means you don't lose everything. And as long as that miniscule speck of hope exists, you can keep walking forward with your head held high."

"If you let the past hold you back, you'll never attain the happiness you worked so hard for!" Sakura adds. "Then what's the point of those sacrifices in the first place?"

Ursula clasps her hands in front of her and smiles. "We've all lost something, some more than others. What's important is to not forget that you still have a future. Of all people, I have faith that you, Diana, can conquer your fears and make the right decisions. After all, you've done so in the past."

Katherine nods fervently. "Diana can do it! One or ten or hundreds; she can overcome anything!"

Daniel smirks. "There you have it. If you want a longer lecture, I'm sure your girlfriend would love to give you an earful. Once she's healed, of course."

Red tints her cheeks, the embarrassment reaching the tips of her ears. "I…" Diana sighs in defeat. "I suppose I needed this."

"You have many burdens, Diana. But you tend to take on most of the responsibility yourself. You only need a reminder that you don't have to suffer alone," Ursula says kindly.

"Who would even want to anyway?" Daniel rolls his eyes. "I understand your kindness and concern for others, but to drown yourself in despair is more than just a little illogical."

"You've got a lot on your plate. Getting attacked not long after you died already can mess up anyone's sanity. The most I can do right now is fortify your body and make sure it's durable enough so you don't die as easily. I can't offer much el-" Sophia suddenly tenses. "The barrier's been breached."

"What?!" five voices shout simultaneously.

Sophia pulls out her wand and swivels around toward the mansion. "Looks like whoever's after you followed you here. I'll need to-"

"Lady Sophia? Is something wrong?" Ursula asks. "Why did you stop?"

Sophia grits her teeth and growls. Her eyes are fixated on the bodies crowding around the outside of the estate. " _Why_ are my homunculi standing there?"

"What do you mean? Didn't you order them to guard the entrance?" Sakura asks.

"Like hell I did. And even if I had issued such an order, I'd put one or two on post. Not this many." Sophia frowns. "What the hell is covering their bodies?"

"Those black tendrils… They're pulsing with some kind of magic signature. But I can't recognize it," Sakura says.

"More are still coming out." Katherine squints her eyes. "I'm counting a dozen. No, it's reached two dozen now!"

Daniel reaches toward the ground to grab the Brisingr, strapping the sheathed sword to his waist and then pulling out the blade to stand on guard. He steps in front of Katherine and Sakura by Diana's side. He places his hand on his chest and quickly activates  _Magna Aestus_.

The quick movement of the sliding the blade draws Diana's attention from the homunculi bodies to Daniel's sword. The sword is just as she remembers it to be. Its standard broadsword form belies its strength and potential. It is both a physical weapon as it is an amplification tool that channels outside magical energy through the blade and shoots the augmented energy back out in the form of a powerful beam. Even now without activating it, Diana can picture the red blade glowing in preparation for the coming fight.

A unique weapon stained red from the countless lives it has taken. A sword drenched in blood. Sharp steel tearing through her flesh, not from the outside but erupting from within her body. As she is torn apart by swords-

Another sharp flick to her forehead halts her spiraling thoughts. When Diana regains her bearings, Daniel's body hides the red blade from her sight.

"I know this is impossible to ask for, but you will need to bear with the Brisingr's presence. I cannot fight without it. I'll try to stay out of your line of sight as much as I can. I… hadn't realized you had lingering trauma regarding swords." Daniel grumbles, "I should have; it's obvious."

Diana shakes her head. "No, I'm alright."

"Your pale complexion says otherwise. And you're shaking."

Diana grabs the arm holding her wand, finding that she is indeed shaking as Daniel says. Drops of sweat dampen the back of her neck.

Daniel sighs. "In any case, watch yourself. If something really is after your life, you will be in the most danger."

Ursula steps next to them, her own wand brandished. "Diana, stay here to protect Katherine and Sakura. Daniel will hold against the homunculi while I search for the intruder."

"I'll disconnect the stone powering their bodies," Sophia says. "For fucks sake, this is like last year all over again."

Diana clenches her teeth. She wants to protest, but remembers what Daniel and the others had just said not ten minutes ago.

" _Just as you want to protect us, we want to protect you as well."_

So instead, all Diana does is nod and say, "Be careful."

"They're coming!" Sophia announces.

The white bodies charge forward. With a plan agreed upon, Ursula, Daniel, and Sophia separate toward their respective destinations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, this chapter got _a lot_ longer than I initially planned. Who knew so many characters were so messed up?
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> Cam, aka W-IIV on FFN and Worldsinwords on AO3, is the one who reminded me that Diana _should_ be averse to swords and other large sharp objects of the like after her traumatic death. She's also the one who gave me some ideas about what habits Diana would develop as minor consequences to her PTSD. Which is why Diana fixates on the materials of things she touches so much.
> 
> Cam's the writer of _Sick of Losing Soulmates_ , the first multi-chapter angst fic I read and liked for LWA. That was… wow two years ago LOL Damn it's been forever. Anyway go read her stuff she writes so much. Also if you like Hamanda, she loves that too. _Underneath Cracked Masks_ is her new big project :]


	12. Act VI.vi. What These Hands Hold, What These Hands Take - Innocent_Greed_2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Diana fights through trauma to survive against the second sin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jet lag is real man and it _hurts_.
> 
> Man the fighting is… all over the place. There's like three separate ones going on at once so describing them was hard. Also why do my word counts keep getting even more insane?
> 
> Warnings for violence.

Daniel charges forward first and slashes through the homunculi to give Ursula an opening to pass him. He draws the Brisingr back, the blade glowing for a moment as he gathers magical energy.

But then he shakes his head and the blade returns to its normal state.

"Damn it! You blasted woman, your estate is in the way!!"

"Good, you had the common sense to think of that! I will murder you if you actually break my mansion!" Sophia yells. She clicks her tongue and blocks a few homunculi by overturning the earth. "Are you even doing your job? You're letting them through!"

"Easier said-" Daniel cuts through one and blocks an overhead swing from another, "-than done! You have too many of these! And they just keep coming!"

Ursula strikes through one, two, three homunculi and presses on. "You won't be able to blast them away through pure magic energy. They'll simply absorb it!"

"Oh that is simply  _wonderful_."

As more homunculi swarm from the mansion, a few rush past Daniel and Ursula and make their way toward Diana, Katherine, and Sakura. Like Sophia, Diana upturns the earth to hinder the homunculi's pursuit. When a few of them climb over the mounds of earth too close for her to defend with spells, Diana sheathes her wand and activates  _Magna Aestus_.

"Oh! Diana's going to be fighting  _without_ a wand?!" Katherine gasps.

"You seem really excited for someone that's defenseless," Sakura deadpans.

"I've always wanted to see Diana fight! Daniel gets boring. But Diana's cool!"

Her homunculus body is normally durable enough to break plywood. However, with her extra augmentations she can blast through Sophia's enhanced homunculi with her bare fists. The homunculi shatter like porcelain under her strikes.

"Well, at least we know the body is sturdy enough," Sakura comments.

"Amazing. It is even easier to combat these beings than the first time!" Diana remarks, backhanding a homunculus creeping up her side.

Sophia grins. "I gave you my best creation! That's why I charged so much!"

Sophia evades one of the homunculi's arms. With its arm still outstretched, she grabs onto it and flings the homunculus into another one charging at her from the side. She whips around and back-kicks one from the other side, then rotates to block and counter against another.

A flash of black moves through her gaze after she knocks away that homunculus. She whips her arm out to get an attack in first on the new assailant, only for it to be blocked with a forearm made not of clay, but flesh.

Sophia's eyes widen, then narrow into a glare. "Who the hell are you?"

The attacker grins, twisting her hands to grab onto Sophia. "You just made a very poor decision."

Though Sophia's opponent is a female with a much smaller body than hers, Sophia is unable to rip her arm away from the girl's surprisingly strong grip on her wrist and forearm. Black tendrils suddenly flow from under the girl's palms- the same kind that cover the rouge homunculi and this girl as well. It snakes around Sophia's arm, throughout her body, until the tips reach the edges of her face.

Sophia's breathing stops. Her body freezes as darkness creeps over the whites of her sclera and irises. Then, her body goes slack.

The homunculi stop moving.

"What just happened?!" Daniel shouts.

"What happened to Lady Sophia?" Katherine asks.

Sakura gasps. "She's been… corrupted? I've never heard of anyone doing so to a human with instantaneous direct contact!"

Diana's eyes flicker from Sophia's still form to the other dark figure.

(What-?! Why is-?!)

Ursula recognizes her as well. "McKinley! Why are you here?!"

Diana's classmate chuckles. "I was curious, you know. Where does Diana Cavendish disappear to once a month? Most of the time you stay on campus, but this time I saw you leaving Luna Nova with Professor Ursula. I got curious, is all."

"Is that someone you know?" Sakura asks.

"She is a classmate of mine. One who should  _not_ have the ability to perform wandless magic as debased as corruption," Diana replies.

"Hm. Close, but not necessarily correct. I'm simply taking what is mine." McKinley spreads her arms. "Everything in the world belongs to me. It will  _all_ be mine. Nothing can escape from my grasp. And that includes you, Diana Cavendish. You are mine, and you are  _hers_."

"Hers?"

McKinley grins. "I may be the demon of greed, but that woman rivals even my own avarice."

"Another demon?!"

"Ah, that's right. You've already encountered Invidia." McKinley scowls. "Death by liquefying from the inside out; what a shitty way to go. Not that that demon is dead, but that's a pretty crappy way to get kicked out of your container."

"Containers?"

"Demons can't exist in your realm; we're basically only strong collections of magical energy without our own physical form. But don't think you can save this girl. Her body has already bonded with my soul. There's nothing left of this girl."

McKinley snaps her fingers. Beside her, Sophia raises her wand above her head. Green light gathers at the tip.

"This girl already belongs to me. I, Avaritia of Greed, will continue to take what is rightfully  _mine_."

Sophia's wand pulses. Although none of them can feel the effects of the pulse coming from the wand, an unsettling feeling creeps up Diana's spine and puts her on edge.

The homunculi around them suddenly snap their necks back. Their bodies twitch in unnatural angles in tandem to the pulse coming from Sophia's wand and the black tendrils covering them.

Then, the synchronized movement stops. And all the homunculi snap back in place with darkness emanating from their forms.

"This is bad!" Ursula gasps, retreating with Daniel back to Diana. "With Lady Sophia under her control, the rest of the homunculi-!"

White and black bodies pour out from every side of the Pavlova mansion. Through the open door, breaking windows, from the edges of the wide manor, and even over the roof and plummeting down three stories in height. Hundreds of Sophia's creations swarm toward their small group. Most of them are not covered in black and are only being controlled by Sophia directly.

But the homunculi aren't their only enemies. Sophia turns her wand to Diana and the others while McKinley - no, Avaritia - runs toward them with her palms held up at her sides.

"Hey, hey! Friends are people you can reason with. She does  _not_ look like someone you can reason with!" Katherine shouts."

"Way to state the obvious, idiot!" Daniel brings his sword up to prepare for the homunculi.

Diana clenches her eyes, shaking her head to prevent the image of the Brisingr's blood red blade from imprinting into the back of her eyes.

"Can you guys not act like dumb siblings?!" Sakura yells. "We're outnumbered, two of us can't even fight, one of our enemies is supposed to be on our side, and then there's the apparent demon running at us!"

"Aren't you also a witch?!" Daniel retorts. "Where's your wand?! Why aren't you using it?!"

Sakura pulls the object from her jacket and waves it in the air. "I  _am_ a witch. But I can only use spells and manipulate magic that has to do with monitoring souls! I don't know anything about fighting!"

"Agh! You're useless!"

"Excuse me?!"

"Daniel, I'm telling Mother that you're being rude to a head of one of the Six Great Houses!"

"That is enough!" Ursula shouts. "We don't have time for this. Sakura, keep Katherine safe! Diana needs to help me and Daniel because  _Lady Sophia is also our enemy_!!"

Diana grabs her wand and defends against Sophia's first strike. To her side, Daniel cuts down the homunculi that get too close to any of them. That leaves Ursula with Avaritia.

Avaritia laughs. "You think this is enough?!"

"Seriously Diana, what god did you anger?! Why is your life so unfortunate?!" Daniel cries.

"That doesn't matter! But we can retaliate with strength of our own!" Ursula raises her wand over Avaritia. " _ **Praesidio Cingunt**_!"

Avaritia evades the main trajectory of Ursula's wand, only for her face to slam against the purple surface of a dome. The demon growls, glaring up at Ursula while rubbing its nose.

"It's stopped?" Daniel wonders for a second before turning back to the homunculi.

Ursula glares down at the demon in the dome. "I was right. Even if you can take control of any body you wish, you're limited to only controlling living things with a solid form. Additionally, it doesn't matter who is your container. You can only have one main body at a time. Whether it's a witch or someone who isn't even a spellcaster, you can't use any of their magic. You are only limited to your own abilities!"

Avaritia stands. "How perceptive, Ursula Callistis. Then do you expect to maintain this barrier while chaos surrounds you from all sides?"

Diana grits her teeth. It takes all of her effort to keep Sophia occupied and not allow the older woman to push her back. From her periphery, Daniel is preoccupied with the homunculi and making sure none of them attack Ursula  _or_ the two girls who are trying their best to avoid detection as they move toward the Pavlova philosopher's stone.

"Damn it! Why are there so many?!" Daniel cuts down a homunculus. And another one. And another. But they continue to swarm no matter how many he defeats.

Diana evades a  _Murowa_ to the head, countering with her own stunning spell that is meant to incapacitate but not severely injure.

(At this rate we'll be over- The girls!)

Daniel notices the same time Diana does. A good half dozen escape from Daniel's circle of range and rush toward Katherine and Sakura right before they reach the philosopher's stone.

"Shi-" Daniel positions the Brisingr at his side, only to groan and rush forward instead. "I forgot that magic doesn't work on these beings!"

With his speed augmented by  _Magna Aestus_ , Daniel closes the distance between himself and the girls in half the time it took Katherine and Sakura. He cuts down all the homunculi around them, then whips around to stave off the rest.

However, those precious seconds are enough for the homunculi he neglected to swarm the remaining witches. But it isn't Ursula they target; they close behind Diana.

Diana can barely defend against just Sophia. There is no possibility for her to divert her attention to dozens more opponents. By making the decision to evade the homunculi, Diana leaves herself open to one of Sophia's spells.

The final nail in the coffin is when Diana suddenly stops moving altogether. Her eyes widen, her body freezes in place. Her consciousness fades for a second. By the time her necklace revives her with its automatic vibration, it's too late.

The  _Murowa_ strikes Diana's side, sending her skidding across the grass. The pain overloads her senses, replacing the void from before.

Sophia raises her wand, readying another strike. Diana can't move; she can only pull herself into a kneeling position before the world swims.

Before Sophia can finish her chant, Ursula redirects her wand at Sophia and yells, " _ **Murowa**_!"

Sophia stops her spell to block against Ursula's attack. At the same time, Ursula's barrier around Avaritia dissipates. Daniel surges forward to cut down the homunculi surrounding Diana so she can regain her bearings and stand.

But it's already too late for Ursula.

Avaritia shoots up and grabs Ursula's arm. The same black tendrils that corrupted Sophia now infect Ursula.

"You're now mine as well," Avaritia taunts.

"Profe-!" Diana's cries are cut short by Sophia's relentless pursuit.

"Damn it!" Daniel curses.

From the side, a few more homunculi have gotten past him and are heading to Sakura and Katherine. Although the girls have reached the stone, they're still trying to find a way to deactivate it without Sophia's aria.

And now they've lost another one of their fighters.

Ursula grits her teeth. With the rest of her strength, she pulls back the arm not in the demon's grip and smashes it into Avaritia's chest. The demon barely moves its other arm in front of its chest in time to take the brunt of the hit. Bone crunches under Ursula's fist, shattering under her final, desperate strike.

Avaritia hisses in pain, pulling back away from Ursula who drops onto her knees. "Damn you, you wanted to incapacitate one of my arms as a parting gift. But it doesn't matter."

Ursula rises. Her body mirrors the same black pattern covering Sophia and the homunculi. Her eyes have well have gone pitch black.

"Go and entertain your student. I have a few brats to claim."

Sophia disengages and rushes toward Katherine and Sakura. Before Diana can stop her, she's forced to defend against Ursula.

"Wait-!" Daniel clicks his tongue, beheads a homunculus, and follows after Sophia. "Damn it!"

Thanks to his augmentation, he reaches Sophia before she can get in firing range of the girls. Sophia changes her wand into a saber to block the Brisingr's overhead strike.

With Daniel preoccupied with Sophia and Ursula preventing Diana from going anywhere, the homunculi are free to roam and attack as they wish. Then there's Avaritia aiming for the girls.

Daniel presses against Sophia. Despite his training, he can't easily overtake the Pavlova head. "Damn it, this is bad!"

"We heard you the first time!" Katherine holds her hands up in a guard, watching Avaritia close the distance in horror. "That demon's going to get to us at this rate!"

"I don't see you helping!"

"I'm trying!" Sakura yells instead. "I don't want to completely blow this thing up! Do you know how much damage that much magical energy can cause?!" Sakura grinds her teeth, barely keeping herself from screaming. "And now Diana's teacher is under control! Agh! There's too many things I need to think about at once!"

Not that either Diana or Daniel can afford to break their concentration to even destroy the stone from their positions. Diana herself can barely hold against Ursula.

Or rather, she can't at all.

Despite Diana's magical prowess and  _Magna Aestus_ activated, her guard slips enough for Ursula to take advantage of an opening to disarm Diana of her wand. Diana barely brings up her arms in time to block a earth-shattering strike from her face. It pushes her back, leaving her only a moment to prepare for the next flurry of attacks.

(What insane physical capabilities! She can match my augmented speed with minimal enhancements!)

Diana takes a fist to the cheek, knocking her to the ground. She rolls out of the way before Ursula can stomp down on her. Ursula's foot dents the earth from that one strike alone, then kicks up more dirt as she pushes off the ground to give chase to Diana.

(At this rate I have to fight her at full strength or she will actually kill me!)

Pouring more energy into  _Magna Aestus_ , Diana increases her pace to break through Ursula's guard. Diana takes more strikes than she gives, but they're enough to startle the older woman. Still, Ursula doesn't fall.

Daniel roars and pushes back against Sophia. Muttering a quick apology, he slashes across Sophia's thigh and spins around to her back. With the pommel of the Brisingr, Daniel strikes the blunted surface against the back of Sophia's head. The well-placed strike knocks the woman out cold, sending her crashing to the ground unconscious.

But Daniel doesn't linger to revel in his victory. He whirls around and sprints behind a homunculus towering over Katherine and bifurcates it across the waist.

"Dan- Behind you!" Katherine shouts.

Daniel sidesteps right as Avaritia's arm reaches toward them. But to Katherine's horror, it isn't to move out of the way. He steps right into its palm.

"Gh-!" Daniel hunches over, curling against the tendrils spreading across his body.

"Oh, now that wasn't expected," Avaritia comments. "I was aiming for the girl. But you really are much better."

Daniel groans. Before the last of his consciousness fades, he spins around and throws the Brisingr as far as he can. The blade lands implanted in the grass, a few meters from where Diana and Ursula are fighting.

Avaritia regards him with a raised eyebrow. "You can't have lost control  _that_ quickly."

Daniel's lips pull up into a pained grin. "You don't get to control  _that_ sword. Only the most worthy can wield that blade. There's only one other person here who has that right, and it isn't  _you_. All she has to do… is conquer her own fears."

"Talk big all you want." Avaritia's gaze leaves Daniel's to connect with Katherine's terrified eyes. "You're a dead boy now."

"Urgh!" Daniel bows his head. The next time he lifts them, his eyes are black and his skin marred with black lines.

"Now then, two more to take."

Katherine backs up against the stone pillar holding the philosopher's stone. She and Sakura have nowhere to run. Avaritia and Daniel from the front, homunculi from every other corner. And Sakura still hasn't found a way to deactivate the stone.

Ursula strikes Diana in the chest, knocking her to the ground. Diana turns her head to the side and finds herself staring at the blood red blade that should belong to her cousin.

Ursula looms over her, lifting her fist for one last strike. Avaritia and her corrupted cousin have already cornered Katherine and Sakura.

And yet, her eyes are fixed on the blade implanted in the ground.

At this rate, she will lose so many people she cares about. She had feared this exact scenario occurring. Once again, she's too weak to protect even a few people closest to her.

She had prevented tragedy from occurring before. However, that time she had to give up her own life. She had pushed past her limitations even as swords tore through her body from the inside out. She would rather die by Ursula's fist than go through that agony again.

However, if she does nothing, she will lose more than just her own life.

" _Of all people, I have faith that you, Diana, can conquer your fears and make the right decisions. After all, you've done so in the past."_

It isn't just Ursula. Diana knows almost everyone else admires her diligence and perseverance. So many people believe in her, even when Diana herself does not.

Daniel had said she could rely on others. In that case, she'll draw on the strength of others when she has none to supply for herself.

Diana kicks Ursula's legs from under her, then rolls to the opposite side of the Brisingr to avoid Ursula collapsing on top of her. Diana leaps over Ursula's body and pulls the sword from the ground.

There is no hesitation within her grasp. It was foolish of her to fear the Brisingr. Of all swords, this is the one weapon she has no reason to fear. Although it was the source of the Curse of Blades, it had been the conduit to reunite her with her father for a short period of time.

But most importantly, it is a sword of protection passed down a family of knights who fight for the sake of preserving what they hold dear. Just as blades are created to harm, they can be used to protect as well.

Taking up a sword, she can save everyone again. Only this time, she vows to avoid death.

She refuses to break her promise another time.

Diana mentally berates herself. (Daniel may have a point. Perhaps I  _do_ think too much.)

" _Move_!"

Katherine ducks under Avaritia and Daniel and rolls out of the way, sprinting as far from them as possible. From above, Sakura leaps down behind the pillar on the opposite side from Daniel and Avaritia and runs diagonal from the same place.

The air grows heavy around the glowing red blade. The Brisingr pulses with energy, gathering as much magic from the environment as Diana can possible control. At the same time, she pours her own energy into the blade to complete its augmentation. Even from the reserves of energy from the philosopher's stone that is meant to supplement her incomplete soul.

Her vision swims. She's redirecting too much. At this rate, she'll lose consciousness-

Diana bites her lip. Blood trickles down the open wound. Diana plants her feet into the grass, sliding her stance slightly wider to prepare for the strike.

Avaritia gapes at the mass of energy spiraling around Diana. "I see. You plan on blowing the stone away altogether?"

The homunculi circle in front of it in a semicircle, forming a makeshift barrier with their own bodies. Avaritia runs toward Diana once they're in place.

"I just have to corrupt you before you can release it!" Avaritia cackles. "See if you can do anything once that attack's been absorbed completely!"

There isn't anymore time. Diana grits her teeth and tips the Brisingr back. With all her determination poured into this strike, Diana brings down the blade and shouts, " _ **Brisingr**_!"

A wave of red erupts from the sword, cutting through earth and striking the homunculi head on. Their bodies would normally absorb the magic energy upon contact as it is their nature. Except this time, their clay bodies completely shatter from the tsunami of energy. Homunculi, Avaritia, the pillar; the Brisingr tears through it all to obliterate the Pavlova philosopher's stone.

In the end, nothing remains in its line of destruction except for a giant black scorch mark expanding outward and enveloping where the philosopher's stone once sat.

Diana only catches a glimpse of the decimation before she crashes onto her knees and falls unconscious.

* * *

"Whoa…" Katherine whispers.

She's seen the Brisingr in action before. Daniel often likes to practice (and show off) around the Reinhardt Estate. But never has she seen its power at this level. Even Daniel's display of the Brisingr's augmentation abilities when he attempted to break the barrier around the Regulus Caverns was nothing compared to  _Diana_.

"Well, I really didn't expect that," Daniel comments.

Katherine gasps. But she stops herself before she can run to her brother. The black tendrils are still wrapped around his body and his eyes are still dark.

"Oh no…" Katherine shakes her head. "Diana destroyed everything though!"

Daniel moves his head side to side, cracking his neck. "She most certainly did. Turned that poor girl's body into nothing but dust in the wind. Even obliterated the homunculi. And I thought they were made to absorb magical energy. I suppose that was too much even for Sophia Pavlova's creations. Good thing I have a few spares within range."

"Get out of my brother's body!" Katherine growls.

"I could, but I'd rather not. I have to bring Diana Cavendish to that bossy woman first. By then, my soul will have overtaken his." Avaritia grins. "And you won't want him back after that."

She doesn't like how the demon makes Daniel smile like that. She'd even take Daniel's stupid arrogance over this… disgusting monster.

But what can she do? She's powerless against a demon-

Katherine's eyes widen.

"But first, maybe I should take a few extra precautions and take a some more bo-?!"

Avaritia falls onto its knees. Magic washes over Daniel's body, preventing Avaritia from moving.

Ursula starts running toward Avaritia. At her speed she'll reach them in ten seconds.

Sakura shows no signs of distress. If anything, her voice comes out as  _annoyed_. "Now that the philosopher's stone is gone, I can finally think about something  _else_."

Avaritia's eyes widen as Sakura presses her thumbs against Daniel's forehead and chest.

"What are you-?! You're the Fei head! You-!" Avaritia squirms. "Let go of me! Let go!"

Sakura closes her eyes. White light emits from her body, flowing through her arms and into Daniel.

"Sakura, behind you!" Katherine shouts.

A white magic circle suddenly takes form under Sakura and Avaritia at the same time Ursula pounces. The circle spreads until it encompasses all the way to Sophia's prone body.

"Hear my prayer," Sakura chants.

White light erupts from the sigil. Avaritia screams.

The purifying magic washes away all darkness from Daniel, Sophia, and even Ursula who lands behind Sakura. The black tendrils pull away from their bodies to conglomerate into a single ball of darkness. It wriggles around in the air before dissipating into nothing. Without a proper container, its form can no longer hold.

The white light follows not long after. Once the magic circle disappears and the world returns to normal, Sakura collapses onto her side. Daniel and Ursula's bodies follow as well.

A calm breeze blows through the still field.

"W-Wow… Wait."

Katherine blinks, suddenly realizing the situation. Five humans need to be tended to. Countless homunculi bodies need to be cleaned up. And Katherine is just one girl who doesn't specialize in either healing  _or_ alchemy.

"What am I supposed to do with all these unconscious bodies?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, they just fought against the demon aligned with the sin of greed. No, its powers are not the same as Greed from FMA. As Avaritia said, the greedy claim everything as their own. That's why everything it touches will fall under their control.
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> If I wanted the best way to visualize the black lines that cover the corrupted, I'd probably say look at what Black Star from _Soul Eater_ looks like when he uses the Uncanny Blade Mode with Tsubaki. At least for the face. The black lines just snake around the rest of the body.


	13. Act VI.vii. On the Precipice of Uncertainty - Brittle_Not_Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which discussions and recovery are necessary after nearly dying. Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, we reached 100 kudos :O Thank you all for your kind support!!

_Ping_.  _Ping_.  _Ping_.

Ursula groans, planting her face further into the soft cushion underneath her head.

(Who could be calling me at this hour…? Don't they know how tiring it is to be a professor?)

 _Ping_.  _Ping_.  _Ping_.

(They're so persistent! Why is it still ring-) Ursula's eyes fly open. ( _I HAVE A CALL_?!)

Ursula flings herself out of bed, body and covers and all, landing in such a tangled heap that she slides off the carpet and onto the cold, stone floor. Wrestling against bedsheets is not how Ursula imagined her next fight after a  _demon_ would be.

"Oh, I don't have time for this!"

With the covers still around her, Ursula drags herself to the source of the continuous pinging. Not to her surprise, she locates her bag at the foot of the bed and reaches in to take out a glowing crystal ball. She sets it on the nightstand by the bed and channels some magic into it to complete the connection.

After a few seconds, the mist clouding the crystal dissipates to reveal Akko's face.

"Professor Ursula! You finally answered!" She beams.

"Akko! You're looking better!"

Akko grins. "Yup. I still gotta stay with Nurse Ophelia for a bit so she can make sure my shoulder doesn't open up again." A frown replaces her smile as she takes in the other woman's disheveled state. "What were you doing anyway?"

"I'm sorry, Akko." Ursula rubs her bleary eyes. "I was sleeping."

"Oh, I'm really sorry for waking you- Wait, it should be three in the afternoon for you though."

Three? That can't be right. Why would she still be sleeping at-

Ursula gasps. All of a sudden the last events she remembers comes crashing back to her. Diana's physical therapy training, speaking with Sophia, the attack on the manor, becoming corrupted by Avaritia, and then nothing but darkness.

(How… how long was I unconscious?! But why am I in a bed? In the Pavlova Mansion? Where is everyone else?!)

Countless thoughts overwhelm Ursula. But one thought prioritizes itself above the jumbled mess in her mind.

"Akko, I'll be right back!" Ursula says, not even registering Akko's distress as she crosses her room and throws open the door. She nearly bowls over the unexpected girl on the other side.

Katherine jumps, spilling some of the water from the bowl in her arms. "Oh! You're awake!"

Ursula exhales in relief. "Katherine. Oh thank god you're at least alright. What happened? Where is everyone? Avaritia? Is everything al-?"

"Wait, wait, slow down! Um," Katherine shifts the bowl of water to one arm as she brings up her other one to count her fingers, "Daniel got turned so Diana broke the philosopher's stone and deactivated all the homunculi. Then Sakura purged the demon from everyone after its first body was disintegrated by Diana. Um, everyone is alive. Other than you, Daniel was the only other person still sleeping. Lady Sophia redressed her own wounds since she said, and I quote, 'You kept me from bleeding to death but this won't do.' Last time I checked she was helping Sakura look over Diana. Avaritia… oh the demon. I just answered that; it's gone." Katherine takes a deep breath. "And… yeah. I guess everything's okay now."

Once all of that information processes, Ursula asks, "Katherine, have you been tending to everyone?"

Katherine nods. "I didn't really know how to help everyone so the most I could do was drag you guys inside the mansion and into a bed. Lady Sophia was the only one with injuries that were somewhat serious. Good thing I listened to Grandfather and learned some basic first aid from the maids. But I didn't really know how to help with anything else. I could really only do something more than that after Lady Sophia woke up six hours later."

"Si-?! How long has it been since we were attacked?"

"Um, almost a day I think?"

"I've been asleep for a day?!"

"Yeah, I'm guessing getting possessed is pretty stressful. You wouldn't even wake up with this weird, persistent pinging sound in your room. I think someone was trying to call you, but I didn't want to intrude to check. Anyway, it'd be better if you could stay here and rest a little longer. I'm sure Lady Sophia won't mind. You guys all need the extra rest."

Ursula pales. "Oh my god. Akko." Ursula spins around back into her room, but then turns back around to address Katherine one more time. "Thank you for checking on me, Katherine. You should go ahead and tend to the others. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure? Because-" Katherine's eyes widen, catching a glimpse of the face in the crystal ball sitting on Ursula's nightstand. "Oh hey! It's Akko!"

"Eh? Is that Katherine?!" Akko shouts. "What are you doing there?!"

Katherine pushes past Ursula and presses her face against the crystal ball. "Wow! It really is Akko! I've never seen a crystal ball used for communication before! This is so cool!"

Ursula chuckles. "Akko, Katherine and her brother were visiting to get a replacement for Daniel's arm."

"Did something happen to it?" Akko asks.

Katherine rolls her eyes. "Yeah. The idiot broke it with the Brisingr. Mother got mad at both of us so my punishment was to come with him to get it fixed."

"What does that have to do with-?" Akko shakes her head. "Wait, first,  _WHAT DO YOU GUYS MEAN SINCE YOU GUYS WERE_ _ **ATTACKED**_?!"

Ursula and Katherine grimace.

(Well, there's no point hiding it from Akko now.)

Ursula sighs. "Akko, calm down. Everyone is fine. Yes, that includes Diana." She looks at Katherine for reassurance, who nods to confirm. "Let me start from the beginning."

So Ursula relays the events of the past twenty four hours to Akko. From the moment they arrived at the Pavlova Mansion, up until now when Akko had woken her up. When they're done debriefing Akko, Katherine excuses herself to go check on the others in the mansion.

"I knew I should've gone too," Akko says after a tense silence.

Ursula shakes her head. "You needed to recover from your injury. You would have reopened your wound if you had even moved out of bed when we left. Look how much you're doing better with just two days of rest."

Akko pouts. "I guess you're right. But you're sure Di- everyone's okay?"

Ursula smiles. "Yes, Akko. You don't need to worry about Diana."

Akko nods but keeps her head slightly bowed. For someone who should be glad and rested, Akko doesn't look happy at all.

"Akko, is something wrong?"

Akko snaps her head up. "Huh? Oh, no. No, everything's okay."

"Are you sure? Do you need to talk about it?"

"I think I just need to talk to Diana."

"Oh, well, I can go check-"

"But I think I'll wait until she gets back."

The unexpected directness takes Ursula by surprise. "Eh? But… I'm sure she wants to see you too."

After staying by Diana's side for so long, it's unexpected for Akko to avoid Diana like this. Ursula wonders if Akko is still upset from her last conversation with Diana.

(Well, considering how Diana left without saying anything to Akko, I suppose anyone would be down.)

Akko looks back down. Ursula can just barely make out the tips of Akko's thumbs moving around from the bottom of the crystal ball.

"I know but…" The twiddling stops as a long exhale escapes Akko's mouth. "I think I'll… wait. I'll just wait for Diana to come back."

(E-EHHHHHH???)

"A-Are you sure you're feeling alright?! Maybe I should bring Diana back to Luna Nova right now-!"

"Geez, it's not that weird! I just had some time to think about things!"

"Oh? Like what?"

"Well…" Akko starts twiddling her thumbs again. "Just some stuff that the others had brought up before. Like how I kind of cling to Diana a lot."

"Did you come to any new realizations?"

Akko's head bobs up and down. "I think I might have known for awhile. I just didn't want to listen to anyone, or even myself really. I didn't want it all to be real.

For a big part of my life all I did was try to be like you, like Shiny Chariot. And then that night when Professor Croix revealed who you were… I thought I lost everything. I didn't want to feel like that again. So when I pretty much hinged a big part of my happiness on Diana and almost lost her, it was like a punch to the gut all over again. Except then they took out my heart and stepped on it too."

"Oh Akko…"

"I didn't want it to happen a third time. I don't… I didn't think I could take another time." Akko sniffs. "I tried thinking about all the positives, all the good stuff, and pushed all the bad things to the side and acted like they didn't exist. I didn't realize that by avoiding my problems, I was setting myself up to lose everything all over again."

"Or maybe you did know and you were just trying to push it off."

Akko chuckles. "Yeah, probably. I think that only works for homework though."

"No, Akko. That shouldn't work for your coursework either," Ursula chides softly.

Someone hands Akko a tissue from the side. Akko takes it and blows her nose into it. "Thanks, Lotte."

Once Akko finishes blowing her nose, Ursula says, "Akko, I'm proud that you were able to reflect upon this on your own. Diana would be proud too."

Akko rubs her cheek sheepishly. "Well, it was more like everyone sat down next to me when I was forced to stay in the hospital bed and got me to talk about it. Since I couldn't leave and they wouldn't stop prodding, it kind of all just came out."

"You know we weren't the ones who made you start crying," Sucy says from the side. "By the time we came in, you already had tears coming out. Professor Ursula was there too."

"Yeah well," Akko huffs, "you guys didn't make it any better."

"It's all that Diana's fault." Amanda growls. "When she comes back, I'm giving her a good fist to the face."

"You are  _not_ doing that!" Hannah and Barbara shout simultaneously.

"Please no more fighting," Jasminka adds.

While Ursula isn't sure how serious Amanda is on her threat, at least she can see that all of them are doing well. Except for one who is missing, though she's usually silent anyway.

"By the way, how is Constanze doing? Are her wounds any better?" Ursula asks.

Amanda moves her head into the crystal ball's line of sight. "Yup. She's still not allowed to move as much, but her burns are mostly treated and okay now. The nurses have some really potent stuff."

Akko sticks out her tongue. "Tastes nasty too."

Ursula shudders. "Yes, that's exactly how I remember Nurse Ophelia's remedies to be. They're effective, but they don't… have the best taste."

"At least they're  _effective_ ," Ophelia scoffs from the side. "Kagari, I'm cutting your little chit chat short. I need to check on your bandages."

Akko groans. "Really? Now? But I'm feeling better!"

"Your comfort and keeping your wound clean are not bidirectional! Do I need to increase your bed rest?!"

"Geh. No ma'am…" Akko sighs. "Okay, guess I gotta say bye for now."

"Best to not anger your nurse," Ursula teases.

"Yeah. I can't  _wait_  to leave this room. But um…" Akko's eyes flit side to side. "Can you say hi to Diana for me? And tell her that I'm doing okay now?"

Ursula chuckles. "Of course. You know, just because you two have some misunderstandings between you two, doesn't mean your relationship is in any danger. You don't have to give her  _that_ much distance. Just be yourself and don't try so hard."

"You know, that's the first time someone has told me to  _stop_ trying so much." Akko laughs. "It's a little weird really since it's actually kind of  _hard_. But… yeah, I'll do that. Thanks, Professor Ursula."

"Take care, Akko."

Ursula places her hand on the crystal ball, this time removing the magic that's keeping the crystal ball on. The time is nearing four o'clock. With the winter season settling in, that means the sun has already dipped low enough that there is barely any light left of the day.

(I really did sleep the day away.)

Having slept enough of the day away, Ursula packs away her crystal ball and grabs a change of clothes from her bag. Once she's changed and tied her hair into its usual side braid, she decides to pay Diana a visit to fulfill Akko's request.

Until her stomach rumbles, reminding her something else that she's neglected since she's been asleep for so long.

(Maybe I should get some food first.)

* * *

Diana supposes it's inevitable that she'd return here. Falling unconscious is akin to falling asleep in the sense that she has no control over her subconsciousness in this state.

It does not make what awaits her any more welcoming.

"You tried to disprove your own weakness." Her other self grins. "I must say, I'm rather impressed."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Well, you  _are_  always hard on yourself." Her mirror frowns. "You still hold doubts. Do you believe your last-ditch effort did not successfully kill Avaritia?"

"How can I know when I fell unconscious before seeing for myself?"

"You saw the decimation from the Brisingr. Is that not enough? Or do you still doubt your strength?" Her doppelganger shakes her head. "I don't understand you. How do you still question yourself when it was  _your_  strength that ended Renatus Bradley's life? Then after, sealed the Demon Witch before she could revive?"

"Murder," Diana clenches her fists, "is not strength."

"Murder for the sake of self defense. Even you must understand that there is a difference." The other Diana takes a smooth step forward. Unlike her previous dreams, the grating of steel isn't as prominent. "Or at least, you are beginning to."

"The reason does not excuse my actions."

"I agree. Though it is certainly not a shackle either."

Although she knows she won't find the answer she seeks from herself, Diana asks anyway, "What does it mean to be weak?"

"A good question. What  _does_ it mean to be weak? Does it mean failing to protect your most important person? Or does it mean resorting to murder? Is it weak to kill another to save yourself? The answer you yourself seem to believe is that yes, no matter the reason, to kill is to succumb to defeat. In any case, you lose. But… is that truly the case?

Her mirror steps up to her. Like always, she raises her arm and aims her fingers at Diana's chest.

But this time right before she strikes, Diana's own hand shoots up to catch the arm of steel before it can so much as touch the fabric of her clothes.

A hand of flesh tightens around a wrist of steel. However, even as the blades cut through her weak and vulnerable  _human_ body, her heart refuses to falter any longer.

Her other self smiles. "It seems you are beginning to reach a different conclusion."

Pushing herself forward just a centimeter, the doppelganger presses her index and middle fingers against Diana's chest. The tips cut through the first layers of skin, drawing a trickle of blood from her chest and pooling around the fabric of her shirt.

"Is this the right answer?" Diana wonders.

"Is there ever one? Nothing is black and white. Clinging to that kind of ideal philosophy will only bring you more despair. As you have experienced."

Diana closes her eyes. Around her, the world begins to warp as she prepares to leave this state of unconsciousness.

But right before she fades, her doppelganger says something uncharacteristic.

"Ah, one other thing. It seems there is a relation amongst the past few attacks."

Diana opens her eyes, locking gazes with a weary mirrored set. Though if Diana cares to admit, they don't appear to be as bloodshot or tired as she remembers them to be.

"Invidia, the demon of envy who attacked Akko," Diana says.

"Avaritia, the demon of greed who attacked us."

"Creatures that require containers to exist in our realm."

"Demons of sin."

The land of green and blue fades. Diana opens her eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. There is no presence of danger. Yet Diana's heart beats wildly in her chest.

Diana sits up in her bed, placing a palm to calm her racing heart. Her fingers curl against her skin, but she doesn't let her nails dig into her chest.

Diana takes a deep breath. She whispers so softly that her words are lost in the silence.

"Purgatorio. The cabal of demons under direct control of the Demon Witch."

* * *

Within the next five minutes, Diana comes to three conclusions.

One. The person who nearly killed her in the hallway with shadow magic a month ago is most likely Goetia. She is the only other spellcaster who possesses such skills, though Diana has no idea how has escaped from her seal.

Two. She is somehow terrorizing Diana and everyone else remotely, or she has escaped from her seal. Whichever the case, it seems the Ministry - the people monitoring the Arcturus Forest - are unaware of this as nothing out of the ordinary has been reported. Or they know and are keeping the information to themselves.

Three. The Demon Witch is summoning forth her strongest demons to aid her. For what reason other than to take revenge on the magic world, Diana does not know. Demons require containers to house their souls; they cannot exist in their world as only conglomerations of magical energy. Humans are the most efficient.

(Avaritia possessed McKinley. If Invidia's human host is also a witch from Luna Nova, it is highly possible that Goetia is hiding somewhere in Luna Nova. But  _where_?)

Not to mention that the demons' targets aren't necessarily only Diana- if Invidia is any indication. Who will be attacked next?  _Where_ will this happen? There's a possibility that there is one occurring at Luna Nova right this instance if Goetia is truly hiding there-

A knock at her door jolts Diana from her thoughts. But the familiar voice, muffled by the door, reassures Diana that it isn't someone to be wary of.

"Diana? Are you awake?" Sakura asks.

A scoff from Sophia follows. "Does it matter? We're here to check on the status of the new stone anyway. We don't need her to be conscious for that."

"It's courtesy!"

The door opens despite Sakura's protests. Sophia steps in first, followed by a slightly annoyed Sakura. They both stare at Diana in surprise.

"So you are awake," Sophia says.

"I awoke only a few moments ago," Diana replies.

"How are you feeling?" Sakura asks as she makes her way to Diana's bed.

"I am alright. More importantly, where is Professor Ursula? There is something urgent I must speak to her about."

"She should be finishing up her meal," Sophia replies. "I gave her permission to take whatever she wanted from my kitchen. There aren't any servants around to do the work, so hospitality is nonexistent in this mansion at the moment."

"Speaking of food, you must be hungry! Miss Ursula will be bringing something up to you once she's done eating," Sakura says.

"But-!" Diana takes a deep breath, stopping herself from shouting.

(There is no need to overreact. One problem at a time.)

Sophia steps up behind Sakura. "Whatever it is that's bothering you most likely pertains to everyone else  _but_ you, so it'll have to wait. Our first order of business is to make sure  _you_ don't die."

Diana frowns. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"Not anymore. Hopefully. I've already replaced the philosopher's stone in your body that you  _somehow_ depleted nearly to nothing. Then the kid here stabilized it with your soul." Sophia sits down onto the bed next to Diana, then flicks Diana's forehead with a snap of her middle finger, earning her a disgruntled cry from Diana. "Hm. The body's holding up as well. I'd say she's good."

Diana rubs her sore head. (First Daniel and now Lady Sophia.)

"Pardon me, you said the philosopher's stone in my body was nearly depleted?" Diana asks.

"Yep. There was just a tiny drop of its energy left." Sakura huffs. "Destroying the Pavlova stone and Avaritia all in one strike with the Brisingr was effective, but that was  _way_ too much. Even I can tell that Daniel normally doesn't blow off that much energy in one swing. You almost killed yourself with all that magic!"

"You're lucky I have a few smaller spares in my manor. Otherwise you wouldn't even be awake right now." Sophia sighs. "Though, it  _was_ effective. And you didn't blow up that body, or kill yourself, so there's no reason to yell at you too much. Not that you regret it at all, am I correct?"

Diana considers lying for the sake of respect. But she knows that isn't the type of answer that will satisfy Sophia Pavlova. The capable woman only acknowledges directness. So that is how Diana will answer.

"No. I acted based on what I considered the most efficient method to end the conflict."

"I'm more mad that you're not wrong! Arg!" Sakura groans. "Fine, fine we'll leave it at that. What's done is done. Now let me check to see if the stone is stabilized with your soul and body."

As per routine, Diana takes off her shirt and turns with her back facing Sakura. She closes her eyes and waits for Sakura to place a hand on her back. Feeling the familiar touch, Diana steadies her breathing to match Sakura's.

The procedure happens every month after her physical therapy. Though they were never able to stop her lapses in consciousness from occurring, the least Sakura and Sophia can do is ensure that the philosopher's stone making up for her incomplete soul is stable and not causing any  _further_ complications.

After ten minutes of synchronized breathing and silence, Sakura exhales deeply and pulls back from Diana. "Okay, it looks like the new stone is working just fine. The old one's already taken out, so you don't have to worry about that. I hope you don't use up  _this_ one so quickly. They're supposed to last you at least half a year each. But you've been using them up almost once every two months!"

Diana pulls her nightgown back on. "I am a witch. It's impossible for me to refrain from using magic. I am already being conservative with the number and types of spells that I use."

"Plus the kid's had a rough month. Give her a break," Sophia chimes in.

"You should be scolding her more, Lady Sophia!" Sakura says.

Sophia raises an eyebrow.

"What?" Sakura challenges. "Is there something wrong?"

"No. I just think it's hilarious how a child barely older than ten has the qualities of a mother already."

"I'm eleven!"

"Those qualities are valuable as a head of one of the Six Great Houses," Diana comments with a smile. "I say she's admirable."

Sophia scowls. "You too. Makes me wish to see some more  _carefree_  kids."

"No, you'd hate them and call them annoying while scaring them away with your presence alone," Sakura remarks.

Sophia hums. "I suppose that's not wrong."

Two knocks sound at Diana's door. The door opens and Ursula steps out from behind it.

"Oh! Good so see you awake, Diana," Ursula greets with a smile. She holds up a tray of food and tea. "I brought these just in case."

Diana returns the smile. "Thank you, Professor. Could you leave them on the table? There is something I wish to discuss with you first."

Ursula places the tray on Diana's bedside table. "Something to tell me?"

"Regarding the demons that attacked us within this week. I believe it is connected to whoever assaulted me at Luna Nova before." Diana takes a breath. "I surmise it may be Goetia's doing."

The three others in the room pale.

"Goetia? The Demon Witch? But- But that can't be!" Sakura shakes her head. "You and Father  _died_ to keep her sealed! It can't be her!"

Diana explains, "The demons who attacked us follow the names of the demons of Purgatorio, a cabal of highly dangerous demons who were under the direct control of Goetia during the time of the Nine Olde Witches. They also exhibited abilities that correspond to what I can remember of their individual abilities. Invidia, the sin of envy who can change their form to anything they desire. Avaritia, the sin of greed who can possess and corrupt any object it comes in contact with by imparting parts of its own soul. And-"

"And?" Ursula asks when Diana suddenly stops.

"It- The timing is also of coincidence," Diana quickly replies.

(Perhaps I should not mention the strange voice in my dreams. Her warning about the Demon Witch… but who was that? Why does she sound so  _familiar_?)

"If it really is the Demon Witch… Is she attacking you because she knows you were one of the people who tried to reseal her?" Sophia asks.

"That is what I concluded as well. However, her own goals do not appear to restrict what her demons wish to do."

Ursula's eyes widen. "Invidia was attacking Akko, not you. That means they could be aiming for anyone!"

"Which is what I needed to speak to you about, Professor Ursula," Diana says. "Could you please inform Headmistress Holbrooke of what we concluded? As well as discussing the current state of the Demon Witch's seal in the Arcturus Forest with the Ministry."

Ursula nods. "Yes, I can do that. I don't have direct access to the Minister, so we'll have to reply on the headmistress to contact the Ministry. There's Croix, but I haven't been able to get a hold of her lately."

"Is there something wrong?"

Ursula shakes her head. "No, I don't think she's in danger or anything. She did mention that the Ministry is currently a little busy lately."

"I see." Diana purses her lips. "There is one other thing."

"One other?"

"Avaritia possessed McKinley. Not only does that lead me to believe that Goetia is somewhere  _in_ Luna Nova, but that she is choosing students as her containers for her demons."

"I understand. I'll also add that in my message. I'll also have Professor Lukić examine Invidia's corpse to see if we can determine who was the container for that demon. Maybe we can find a pattern."

Diana nods. "Please do."

Ursula turns to leave and grab her crystal ball to relay the message. Before she does, she stops and says to Diana, "Oh, and I just spoke to Akko. She wanted me to tell you that she says hi."

Diana blinks in surprise. "Oh! Thank you, Professor. If you could, could you do the same for me? Please tell her that I am well."

Ursula smiles. "Of course. Then-"

 _Bllllllliiiiiing_! The unexpected sound is followed by a series of trumpets and fanfares, all coming from Ursula's pocket.

"Is that the Shiny Chariot theme song?" Diana and Sophia ask.

Ursula stares at them both. "How do you two-? Oh never mind."

She digs into her pocket and pulls out what Diana vaguely recognizes as a flip phone, if she recalls Akko showing her one once before. Luna Nova forbids the use of modern technology on campus. They especially prohibit the use of cellphones for communication. So it surprises Diana that  _Ursula_ of all people would be violating that rule.

But then again, she seems to frequently speak to someone who absolutely  _refused_ to conform to Luna Nova's traditions.

Ursula flips open the phone, barely looks at the screen, and then places the phone by her ear and answers, "Hello? Croix? Why are you-?!"

" _CHARIOT! CHARIOT IS THAT YOU?! By the Nine holy shit you're alive. Where are you?! Why didn't you answer for the past twenty four hours?!"_

Ursula pulls the phone from her ear with a grimace. "Croix, I can hear you perfectly. And so can  _everyone else_ in this room."

The rest Diana doesn't catch due to Croix heeding Ursula's rather… chiding tone and lowering her voice. All Diana and the others can hear are the responses from Ursula.

"Yes I'm fine. What happened? Oh, do I really have to say it again?! I'll tell you later. Yes Diana is fine. No, no one is dead. Yes that includes Di- Croix I already said she was fine!"

Diana sighs in exasperation. She can surmise what Croix is saying even without hearing it for herself.

Sakura chuckles. "It looks like a lot of people worry about you."

Diana smiles. "Yes. I am truly lucky to have them all in my life."

A large hand rests on top of her head. "So don't go doing reckless things so much," Sophia says. "Don't make those people have a hard time just because you want to keep them safe. Got it?"

"I… I will keep that in mind."

"Hm? You want to talk to Diana? Yes, she's in the room with me." Ursula turns around and offers the phone to Diana. "Croix says she has something to ask."

Diana takes the foreign object in both hands. "How do I use this?"

Sakura's jaw drops. Sophia howls with laughter.

"Oh! Just place it next to your ear and speak. You don't need to press anything."

Diana does as she's told. "Like this?"

"Yes but…" Ursula tries, and fails, to stifle her laughter. "It's upside down."

"Oh." Diana rights it, then tries again. "Better?"

" _Much. Even I could tell that you were holding it wrong."_ Croix chuckles from the other end. " _I hear you're well, Diana."_

"I am. What is it that you needed to speak to me about?"

" _Right to the point. I actually wanted to ask how your necklace was functioning. I know that Constanze is maintaining it for you, but I wanted to make sure there was nothing wrong as its original creator."_

"It's working as it should." Diana pauses.

" _I hear the 'but' coming."_

"There is… actually something I wish to ask of you." Diana places her free hand on her chest, feeling for the necklace resting against her skin. "Is it possible for you to slightly modify its functions?"

" _Depends how slight. What do you need?"_

"I understand it activates whenever it detects abnormal changes to my heart rate. However, by the time it processes and reacts, it takes at least a second for my body to react from the vibration. In other words, it is too slow."

Croix mulls over the information in silence, then asks, " _How different do you want it?"_

"Change the vibration to a pain response. A laceration on my skin will suffice."

"Diana!" Ursula gasps.

"I have no idea what you're saying, but even I can tell it's stupid," Sophia says with a scowl.

" _Yeah, I agree with every angry person in that room. That's too much, Diana."_

"With all due respect-"

" _Diana, I understand what you're asking for. I can grant you the modification, but I'll make it so that it directly targets one of your pain-sensing nerves rather than cause an actual physical injury."_

"If you are concerned for the damage, I can assure you that I am fully prepared to handle it. As long as the wound is minor, I can easily heal it with magic."

" _That I understand. I_ also  _understand that you seem to have some strange idea that you're habituated to physical pain after… all that you've been through."_

Diana frowns. She hates to admit how  _right_ Croix is.

" _Still, if we can avoid it that's what we'll do. I'll accept your request but only on_ my  _terms. Do you understand?"_

Diana wants to argue. However, even she agrees that it's better to avoid actual wounds if she can. And if she adds another routing magic spell to use, she'll only deplete her philosopher's stone even faster.

"I understand."

" _Alright. I'll create the blueprints for it and send it to Chariot to give to Constanze. I can't leave the Ministry right now and there's no way for you guys to come here either. We're… a little busy right now."_

"So Professor Ursula has mentioned. By any chance does it have to do with the Demon Witch?"

" _No, it shouldn't. As far as I know, the department in charge of quarantining the Arcturus Forest hasn't reported any abnor-"_

"Miss Croix?"

Croix groans. " _The staff was scrambling around a few days ago but no one was willing to disclose any information. Let me guess, you think the attacks these last few days have something to do with her?"_

"Most likely."

" _Perfect. Just perfect. As if we needed to add the Demon Witch to Renatus Bradley's missing body-"_

Diana stops breathing. "Mi _-Missing body_? I'm sorry, I think I heard you wrong."

A short pause, only long enough for Diana to remind herself to regain her breath. " _I… didn't want to burden you with this, but since I've mentioned it I guess I should tell you what I know. Can you put the phone on speaker so Chariot can hear too? Uh, just press the button on the top right of the keypad."_

"Diana?" Ursula asks.

Dread coils in Diana's stomach. She knows the information Croix relays will not be pleasant. She somehow manages to press the speaker button with her trembling hands.

" _Can everyone hear me? Good. I'll get straight to the point._

_Renatus Bradley's body is missing. All of it; the corpse buried at his grave, as well as his Mystic Eye of Prediction that was taken for research. All of that disappeared one night. And no one can find it."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapters just keep getting longer and longer and frankly I'm getting real sick of adding more. Not because of the writing; that needs to come no matter what. No, I'm just upset because I _keep having to come up with more chapter titles alkdjfsldkfjs_.
> 
> **Fun Fact:**
> 
> So at the time I wrote this chapter I couldn't wear any accessories except for rings. And then my friend's mom gave me a jade necklace for protection and good luck when I go to grad school, and then that friend gave me the yin part of a yin yang cat necklace; the other half that she owns. (No we aren't dating.)
> 
> So yeah. Now I also wear necklaces LOL


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